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Senchenko ends Hatton’s comeback; Guerrero defeats Berto; Thurman beats Quintana

Senchenko ends Hatton's comeback; Guerrero defeats Berto; Thurman beats Quintana Great night of boxing for both HBO and Showtime; Minutes away from a great comeback win, Hatton has liver failure

Thurman continues to look impressive in stopping Quintana

Two knockdowns too hard for Berto to overcome – Guerrero gets UD

By Paul Strauss: Don’t worry, Ricky’s condition was temporary. It was due to a beautifully placed body shot that snuck in under “The Hitman’s” outstretched right arm. There isn’t a more debilitating shot in boxing. It doesn’t matter how many sit-ups you’ve done. If the shot lands on target, forget it. A few years back, Ricky landed a similar shot to the liver of Luis Castillo with the same results. You just don’t recovering quickly from one of those, regardless of whether you have a six- pack, eight-pack or full case of abdominal muscles.

Up until that time, Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton was fighting a good fight at the Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire UK on Showtime Boxing.

Ricky Hatton gets KO’d by Vyacheslav Senchenko in 9

Ricky Hatton gets KO’d by Vyacheslav Senchenko in 9By Joseph Herron: After staging a valiant comeback from over three years of inactivity, Ricky Hatton (45-3, 32 KOs) was knocked out by a lethal shot to the liver via left hook from former WBA Welterweight Champion Vyacheslav Senchenko (33-1, 22 KOs) in the closing seconds of the ninth round in a scheduled ten round contest.

To begin the contest, an exuberant “Hitman” excited the crowd by closing the distance effectively and launching his trademark left hooks to the body and head of the rangy Ukrainian boxer. Although Ricky’s timing and rhythm was not reminiscent of the classic Junior Welterweight Hatton, Manchester’s favorite son was pressing the action successfully and forcing the fight to the larger visiting pugilist in the first half of the bout.

To begin the sixth round, Senchenko began to create distance by using the jab and landing the left hook, straight right hand combination to the body and head of the two division world champion. Despite trudging forward and landing the occasional effective left hand, the 34 year old fight veteran was getting caught cleanly and regularly while marching into the much taller and rangier fighter throughout the last half of the contest.

Ricky Hatton: Blue Moon on Sunday

Ricky Hatton: Blue Moon on SundayBy Marc Livitz: The Manchester fighter once again had the adulation of his home crowd behind him on Saturday evening and by his own admission, he faced an opponent who was anything but a “ham and egger”.

Vyacheslav Senchenko had the gall to step into the ring while wearing a Manchester United shirt, which made this writer hope for a Hatton knockout even more. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian fighter may already know what will be his first choice of what to take with him into the next life: his left hook to the body. When you absolutely must send your rival to the floor, accept no substitutes.

One’s liver is quite susceptible to blunt force, yet Ricky didn’t appear to get to experience the one to two second delay that separates the shot from the slump. The bet to place in regard to a valid explanation may be the easiest addition to your next parlay. The documentation present in virtually all forms of media confirms that one of the hardest working entities in all of the British Isles has been Hatton’s liver. Do as you will and live as you may, yet the little party rascals to which Ricky has given anything and everything but austerity may have stiffed him on the check more than he would care to believe.

Robert Guerrero vs. Andre Berto: Gogue’s big fight preview

Robert Guerrero vs. Andre Berto: Gogue’s big fight previewBy Joseph Herron – Photos by Tom Hogan/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions – Tonight at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, four division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KOs) will put his interim WBC Welterweight title on the line when he faces arguably his toughest test to date, former WBC 147 pound title holder Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KOs).

The highly anticipated match-up will air on HBO World Championship Boxing at 10PM EST/PST (delayed on the American west coast), after Golden Boy prospect Keith Thurman squares off against former 147 pound champion Carlos Quintana in the evening’s co-main event.

While the twelve round main event should answer many questions surrounding both competing fighters, expert trainer James Gogue believes that Guerrero and Berto respectively have a lot riding on this performance.

Weigh-in: Berto vs. Guerrero, Thurman vs. Quintana

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By Bill Phanco: Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KO’s) and WBC interim welterweight champion Robert Guerrero (30-1-1, 18 KO’s) came in under the welterweight 147 lb limit today during their weigh-in.

Guerrero weighed 146.4 lbs and Berto came in at 146.8. The card also has highly hyped unbeaten junior middleweight Keith Thurman (18-0, 17 KO’s) fighting WBO NABO light middleweight champion Carlos Quintana (29-3, 23 KO’s) for his strap. Thurman weighed in at 151.25 lbs, and Quintana at 152.

The official weighs for the HBO televised card:

Robert Guerrero 146.4 vs. Andre Berto 146.8
Keith Thurman 151.25 vs. Carlos Quintana 152
Randy Caballero 119.2 vs. Rigoberto Casillas 118.8

Guerrero can become a star with a win over Berto in this fight. He could pick up a big money fight and then get the backing of the considerable Mexican population in the U.S. It would make for an interesting fight if Guerrero could get past Berto and then get Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Manny Pacquiao in the ring somehow. The pay per view numbers would likely be very good. For that to happen Guerrero is going to have to find a way to get past Berto.

Ricky Hatton: “There’s Only One and We Love Him For It”

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By Marc Livitz: No one knows what it’s like to be the fat man, or was it the bad man? Throughout the past few years, Ricky Hatton has managed to be a bit of both.

The true and fire tested man of the people became the exact opposite of that as he retreated into the heart of darkness. He used cocaine and was even filmed doing so. He also contemplated and attempted suicide. The fact that much of the sports media took this information and displayed it with such repulsive self delight and gratification didn’t help matters very much.

It goes without saying that oftentimes the happiest of the bunch is also the one who is doing his best to shove the closet full of skeletons shut and keep us in the dark about the sad facts. The money, fame and admiration for which so many athletes strive for came naturally to the “Hitman”.

In a way, the hard work and sacrifice that he put forth in the gym, and subsequently in the ring, allowed him to worry less about the bills and gave him the chance to stay grounded in his community…and at times, face down in the local pub. His legions of fans related to the working man persona which Hatton displayed. The Manchester legend played darts and was known to drink a pint or ten with just about anyone. Some would give just about anything to meet their sporting hero. All it took to do so in Ricky’s case was just to extend your hand.

Mike Tyson Vs. Sonny Liston!

Mike Tyson Vs. Sonny Liston!by James Slater – Though the late, great Charles “Sonny” Liston is arguably best remembered (certainly by younger fans) for his two fights with the one man he could never intimidate, in Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, it is beyond debate that the former heavyweight king was one of the most adept boxers in heavyweight history when it comes to frightening an opponent.

Is Liston in fact, THE single most successful heavyweight in all of boxing when it comes to being able to win fights through little other than scaring his man stiff – therefore making his adversary an easy, ready-for-the-taking, deer caught in the headlights, “victim?” Of course, Liston had other ring skills, a punishing jab and awesome punching power, to name just two. But without his ability at terrifying an opponent even before the first bell, Sonny was certainly a lot less effective a fighter. This was also very much the case with another legendary heavyweight – the former champ who lists Liston as one of his ring idols.

Joey Hernandez beats Winchester and demands to fight Canelo, Molina

Joey Hernandez beats Winchester and demands to fight Canelo, MolinaBy Prince Dornu-Leiku – Joey Hernandez claimed a unanimous victory over Jamie Winchester last Friday and immediately declared the big ambition of stepping up for a match-up against WBC 154-pound champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

Southpaw Hernandez, claimed a 97-91, 97-91, 96-92 verdict on the judges’ scorecards to improve his record to 23-1-1 (13 KOs) but the man nicknamed Twinkle Fingers, is calling for bigger names and bigger fights on bigger promotions to showcase his world title credentials.

“I felt I won 9 rounds strong and decisive, and landed a lot of power shots. After reviewing the tapes, I feel I could have thrown the jab a little more and couple more combinations but I showed the type of fighter that I am,” Hernandez told East Side Boxing post fight.

He continued: “I’m happy I got the rounds, I felt great in condition and it really paid to have an 8 week camp with Evangelista Cotto. I landed 176 power shots to the head and body, I take my hat off to him (Winchester) in the balls department. I plan not to balloon up and get back quickly. I know my name is in the mix for top fights, I’m just too charismatic and too exciting to stay off national television.”