Uncertainty and Ricky Hatton just don’t go together. At his popular best, he has been easy to like because it was always so evident he was comfortable in his own scarred skin. The Hatton identity was an undivided entity that never needed a cut man or stitches.
A quick sense of humor and undiluted fearless were always a good mix, like a beer and a shot. But only that beer and a shot sound like sure things anymore. Everything else is clouded with some doubt about Hatton (44-1, 31 KOs) and his fate Saturday night against Paulie Malignaggi (25-1, 15 KOs) for the IBO and Ring Magazine’s junior-welterweight titles at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
He talks about polish. He talks about style. He talks as though he is getting dressed for an appearance before the Queen. What’s often missing in all the talk is the old Hatton. It is enough to wonder whether Hatton’s entertaining career isn’t already too far beyond the crossroads that he is supposed to encounter against Malignaggi.
Hatton has a new trainer in Floyd Mayweather, Sr., a promise for a more refined way of boxing and a very new question that just hasn’t gone away. After a difficult victory over Juan Lazcano in his last bout, Hatton admitted he considered retirement. He has tried to explain that one away, but it lingers like a hangover, especially when he said he should think about it if he loses to Malignaggi.
Meanwhile, Mayweather has talked about a more defensive-minded fighter in Hatton’s first trip back to the MGM Grand since he lost to Mayweather’ son a year ago. Maybe Dr. Phil has a better read on this, but talk of retirement and defense – both unprecedented in a fighter known for aggressiveness – adds up to uncertainty as perilous as Malignaggi’s fast hands.
A lot of the public might not know much about Malignaggi. At opening bell, however, it might not recognize Hatton. Who is this guy? That’s just one question Hatton might ask himself when he goes back to the corner midway through the fight and sees Mayweather instead of Bill Graham, his former trainer who is in Las Vegas and is expected to watch the HBO telecast from a barstool in the casino.
Graham and Hatton, friends for more than decade, split after reports of a feud, which looms as just another potential disruption in the fighter we—he – used to know.
A Hatton victory in his pugnacious, Manchester way could set up a later victory at the box office, which is another saying it would be step toward another stop in Oscra De La Hoya’s celebrity tour. During a media day in Bg Bear, Calif., at De La Hoya’s training camp for the De. 6 showdown with Manny Pacquiao also at the MGM Grand, De La Hiya talked to a British writer about Hatton. If, if and if, De La H9ya envisions the fight to be somewhere a lot closer to Hatton’s neighborhood of pubs than the Vegas Strip.
De La H9ya mentioned London’s Wembley Stadium. The sun never sets on Golden Boy Promotions or the British Empire. As an aside, De La Hoya, who was at 145 pounds at last reports, talked about fighting at 140, Hatton’s weight when he isn’t Fatton.
Then, there’s Mayweather Jr. The prevailing assumption is that his sabbatical will soon end, although there are only rumors from a lot of people and no word from him.
Hatton has talked about a Mayweather rematch. So, too, has De La Hoya, who lost a split decision Mayweather Jr. in May, 2007. De La Hoya is confident Mayweather Jr. will watch his fight with Pacquiao.
“Absolutely, absolutely,’’ De La Hoya said. “He’s running out of money.’’
The guess is that Mayweather Jr., also will be somewhere, watching Hatton-Malignaggi and looking for an opportunity in a Hatton he knows. If he doesn’t see him, lots of opportunity might be lost.
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