After his recent one punch knockout of Jose Luis Castillo crowned him the world junior welterweight champion, British boxer Ricky Hatton’s ego apparently surpassed his brain size because now he wants a shot at Floyd Mayweather Jr. Highly regarded as the best pound for pound boxer in the world, Mayweather said Tuesday that he’d, “sign to fight Hatton right now.”
This is clearly – and Mayweather’s manager Leonard Ellerbe alluded to it – a publicity scheme by Hatton. He can use Mayweather’s name to promote his own career, which helps even if he loses. And he knows the only way he’d coax Mayweather out of retirement is if he runs his mouth like this:
“There was more action in the four rounds of this fight (Hatton’s fight with Castillo) than Floyd showed in his entire career.”
Normally I would say Mayweather would pummel a boxer like Hatton, but have you ever watched British fighters? They flail around the ring in herky-jerky movements, throwing only when they see an opening and then backing out quickly in order to not take punches themselves. More conventional boxers like Mayweather usually get frustrated when fighting this kind of style and try to change their approach. That in turn only benefits guys like Hatton, but we’re talking about Floyd Mayweather here, a boxer who will likely keep his composure and wait until Hatton tires himself out. That is, if this fight ever happens in the first place.