RICKY HATTON has admitted that his “lifestyle” caught up with him in fights against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao – but believes his performance against Kostya Tszyu was good enough to beat both of them.
The beloved Brit produced a career-defining display to defeat Tszyu in Manchester in 2005, becoming lineal light-welterweight champion in the process.
Hatton was defeated by Floyd Mayweather back in 2007Credit: AFP – Getty
The Hitman had produced a career-defining performance against Kostya TszyuCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Hatton believes his fun-loving lifestyle ‘caught up with him’
And the Hitman is convinced that if he could have recreated his performance that night when he fought Mayweather in Las Vegas two years later, then the result would have been different.
He told Sky Sports: “Against Kostya Tszyu, with a referee who let the fight flow at a distance and up close, I would have beaten anyone that night, including Floyd.
“I’m not saying I was a better fighter than Floyd. But the right tactics on the right night at the right time? Even the best can be beaten.
“If I fought him on that night, I think I might have beaten him.”
Part of Hatton’s enduring appeal to British fight fans was that he appeared a man of the people, having the same fun-loving personality as many of his supporters.
But now 41, he has admitted that his lifestyle may have cost him in his career’s latter stages.
People said that one day my lifestyle would catch up to me. When it came to those fights, it caught up to me.
Ricky Hatton
On that famous win over Tszyu and beyond, he continued: “They called that my Mount Everest. Once I reached the pinnacle where do you go?
“I won four world titles in two divisions. I fought Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Paulie Malignaggi, Jose Luis Castillo. I climbed Everest a few times.
“I would have done better against Mayweather and Pacquiao if I hadn’t burned the candle at both ends.
“People said that one day my lifestyle would catch up to me. When it came to those fights, it caught up to me.”
Hatton was humbled by Manny Pacquiao in Las VegasCredit: PA:Press Association
As it happened, Mayweather produced a tenth-round stoppage in their 2007 Vegas bout.
And following subsequent victories over Malignaggi and Juan Lazcano, Hatton was then humbled by a second-round stoppage at the hands of Pacquiao in 2009.
He attempted a final comeback in 2012 back in Manchester against Vyacheslav Senchenko, but hung up his gloves after another loss – finishing his distinguished career with a 45-3 record.
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
