MORE RICKY HATTON TRIVIA
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Apr 2009
Ricky Hatton fought only once outside either United States or United Kingdom when he faced Belgian boxer Pascal Montulet whom he defeated by a second round knockout in Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany in September 1998.
Hatton is one rare champion who held belts in the lesser known World Boxing Union and International Boxing Organization. He is the former WBU light-welterweight and the current IBO light-welterweight champion.
He idolized Tommy Hearns that as a ten year old starting fighter, he imitated the moves of the original ?Hitman? and led his coach to calling him the little ?Hitman.? Thus he got his nickname as the ?Hitman.?
His real name is Richard John Hatton and was born on October 6, 1978.
Hatton?s victory over Kostya Tszyu is considered as one of the greatest fights on British soil in the last two decades. That big win ushered Hatton as a very promising world champion.
Part of his appeal to win the sympathy of the British masses was Hatton?s throwing of darts at a local pub where he was also known to consume a considerable amount of beer.
His father Ray once described Ricky as was just "a little stocky kid, with blond, spiky hair ? a bit like Bart Simpson." While still an aspiring boxer, he was also described as a "cold, merciless and an awful man on the ring."
Like Manny Pacquiao, Hatton was once named as Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Fighter of the Year and The Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year, both in 1995. Pacquiao, however, won both titles twice in 2006 and 2008.
While Hatton is The Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion, American Timothy Bradley is the number one contender with a record of 24-0-0 (11 KOs).
He is presently at number eight in The Ring Magazine pound-for-pound list and has been in the elite list for 21 weeks now.
Based on boxrec.com data, Hatton has 274 rounds in 46 fights with a 69.57% KO rate, while Pacquiao fought 291 rounds in 53 fights with a slightly smaller 67.92% KO rate.
When referee Kenny Bayless stopped the fight with Paul Malignaggi in the eleventh round, all three judges Duane Ford, Jerry Roth, and Glenn Trowbridge all scored the bout 99-91 in favor of Hatton.
Top photo: Hatton shadow boxes in front of a throng of mediamen at the IBA Gym in Las Vegas on Thursday April 16. Hogan Photos / Golden Boy Promotions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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