British Boxing

British Boxing News

Froch hoping nothing bad happens to Hatton tonight

Froch hoping nothing bad happens to Hatton tonightBy Michael Collins: Ricky Hatton is taking a considerable risk in making a comeback tonight against Vyacheslav Senchenko after a long period of time out of the ring. IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch is just hoping that Hatton can come out of this fight in one piece and doesn’t get hurt like he was in his last fight against Manny Pacquiao in 2009.

Speaking to the standard.co.uk, Froch said “If Ricky wants to come back that’s his decision. Good luck to him. But let’s just hope he is in as good shape as he looks and that he doesn’t get hurt.”

Hatton does look to be in outstanding condition judging by how good he looked during Friday’s weigh-in. However, there’s a big difference from being in good shape and being in fighting shape. Hatton looks like he’s taken off a lot of weight, but we don’t know how he’ll react when he starts taking head shots and how he’ll look once the fight goes past the 3rd round.

When you’ve got an older fighter that is making a comeback after years out of the ring like Hatton, they tend to look decent for about three rounds.

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Haye to Hatton: Don’t listen to the haters

Haye to Hatton: Don't listen to the hatersBy Michael Collins: Former two division world champion David Haye gave a bit of encouragement to Ricky Hatton for his fight on Saturday night against Vyacheslav Senchenko, telling him not to listen to the criticism from fans and the media about his comeback fight.

Haye said on his site at hayemaker.com “Wishing you good luck tomorrow. Don’t listen to the haters. Just go out and do your thing. I know you wouldn’t be coming back if it wasn’t for a reason. I think you have a little something left. You have a little something up your sleeve. I wouldn’t be surprised to see. Go out and do your thing. Stay healthy.”

I never really saw Hatton’s problems in the past stemming from confidence or lack thereof. That to me seemed to be the last of Hatton’s problems. I think Hatton’s problems were more of a case of his lack of defense, his wild fighting style, and his inability to take hard head shots. It was a combination of things that was ultimately Hatton’s undoing when he got to the upper levels of the welterweight division. It wasn’t just one thing.

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Froch awaits Ward after he beats Pavlik on 1/26

Froch awaits Ward after he beats Pavlik on 1/26By Michael Collins: A well paying rematch with IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch is what WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) has to look forward to after he takes care of business against former WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (40-2, 34 KO’s) on January 26th at the Galen Center, in Los Angeles, California, USA.

There’s little doubt that Ward will take care of the slow moving, slow punching Pavlik without any problems just as Bernard Hopkins and Sergio Martinez did. Ward wants to fight Froch again to shut him up, and prove that his win over him last December in the Super Six tournament finals wasn’t just a fluke thing. Oddly enough, two of the judges scored it a close fight by the scores of 115-113, and this has given Froch the belief that he almost beat Ward.

Froch says he knows how to beat Ward now, and wants to get him over to Europe to face him in his home city of Nottingham. Ward is amused by this, and he hasn’t said no to the idea.

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Hatton talking retirement if he loses to Senchenko

Hatton talking retirement if he loses to SenchenkoBy Michael Collins: Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KO’s) could be putting his career on the line in his comeback fight against Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-1, 21 KO’s) on Saturday night at the Manchester Arena. Hatton doesn’t believe in sticking around and wasting his time if he doesn’t have it anymore, and Senchenko, if nothing else, will be a good gauge for the 34-year-old Hatton if he has enough left to compete and capture a world title.

Hatton said this as quoted by thesun.co.uk “I’ll quit if I lose. If the worse happens so be it.”

Hatton’s putting a lot of pressure on himself by coming back and taking on a reasonably good world class fighter in Senchenko. This guy may not be in the same class as fighters like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Andre Berto, Manny Pacquiao – or even Paulie Malignaggi – but he’s definitely a fringe world class contender. Hatton hasn’t seen action in a long time and it’s going to be tough for him to be able to perform at the level that he’s been accustomed to fighting in the distant past.

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Hatton: You’re going to see a better version of me against Senchenko

Hatton: You're going to see a better version of me against SenchenkoBy Michael Collins: Former two division world champion Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KO’s) will be making his long awaited comeback on Saturday night against Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-1, 21 KO’s) at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Few fans are expecting Hatton to be at his very best for this fight.

After all, he’s lost 5 stone [70 lbs], and he honestly hasn’t been in a real fight since November 2008 when he beat Paulie Malignaggi by an 11th round TKO. Hatton did fight Manny Pacquiao in May of 2009, but Hatton was blown out so quickly in that fight that he barely had time to throw a handful of shots before he was taken out by a prime Pacquiao.

Hatton said thesun.co.uk “You watch me on Saturday night. I have really turned the clock back…After the defeat against Pacman, people say ‘no way can he come back the same.’ They are fight because this version is better.”

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Froch Destroys Mack; Can “The Cobra” Get Revenge Over Kessler And Ward Next?

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by James Slater – Make no mistake, Carl Froch was widely, even unanimously expected to defeat Yusaf Mack last night. “The Cobra,” though, made even shorter work of his over-matched challenger than perhaps anyone predicted. Way too strong, way too powerful and way too accurate for the Philadelphian who had to drop down from light-heavyweight to get his shot at the IBF super-middleweight crown, Froch enjoyed his easiest fight in many a year.

After tough battles with the likes of Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward and Glen Johnson, Froch was perhaps entitled to a less than arduous evening. And Froch sure enjoyed himself last night, putting on a punch-perfect display before his adoring fans in Nottingham. Dropping Mack early on in the opening round, Froch, now 30-2(22) scored with a left hook. Already it looked like the approx 9,000 fans might go home early.

Froch also dominated the 2nd, although 32-year-old Mack, now 31-5-2(17) did try his best to get into the fight. Come the 2-minute 30 second mark of the 3rd it was all over. Froch, a fine body puncher, let loose downstairs, knocking the wind out of Mack’s sails with a combination. Froch did what a great fighter is supposed to do when matched with a fighter he is expected to beat: he closed the show quickly.

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Mack sees himself beating Froch tonight

By Michael Collins: Light heavyweight Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) looked good at yesterday’s weigh-in despite coming down from 175 lbs to take the fight with IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) in Nottingham, England. Most boxing fans and experts aren’t giving Mack much of a chance at winning this fight but that’s not stopping Mack from feeling he’s got what it takes to upset the 35-year-old Froch. The way Mack sees it he can win this fight if he doesn’t fade like he sometimes does by the midpoint of his fights.

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Andre Ward not interested in Froch’s fight with Mack

Andre Ward not interested in Froch's fight with MackBy Michael Collins: Having beaten Carl Froch (29-2, 21 KO’s) soundly in the Super Six finals last December, WBA/WBC super middleweight champion Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KO’s) says he has absolutely zero interest in following Froch’s fight tonight against American light heavyweight Yusaf Mack (31-4-2, 17 KO’s) in Nottingham, England.

Ward said on his twitter: “Cobra fans seem a bit upset that I’m not watching. Sorry folks…NOT INTERESTED! I’m not watching Froch vs Mack. You guys can tell me what happens. Honestly, really not interested in the fight. Looking forward to the HBO fights tonight!! I’m picking [Adrien] Broner and [Seth] Mitchell. They both should be good fights. Froch fans keep saying it wasn’t him in the ring the night we fought…then who was it…his twin brother??!! Froch Fans: Ride with your guy, but the things you say have to make since…ok??!! Froch said he wasn’t himself when we fought, because he was HOME SICK. Question: Why do I HAVE TO rematch Froch in the UK?? #IWonTheFirstOne Talk to me UK!!”

Ward takes issue with the excuses that Froch has made about his loss to him last December in which Froch said he wasn’t at his best in that fight and that if he had fought the way he had in his win over IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute then he would have beaten Ward.

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Tyson Fury vs. Kevin Johnson on December 1st

Tyson Fury vs. Kevin Johnson on December 1stBy Michael Collins: Unbeaten #4 WBC heavyweight contender Tyson Fury (19-0, 14 KO’s) will be taking a big step u in competition against former heavyweight title challenger 33-year-old Kevin Johnson (28-2-1, 13 KO’s) on December 1st at the Odyssey Arena, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Johnson has fallen out of the top 15 since losing a lopsided 12 round decision to WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in December 2009.

However, Johnson remains a tough out for a guy like Fury simply because of Johnson’s superb jab, good left hook and experience. Believe it or not, Johnson is a huge step up for the 24-year-old Fury, who has been matched very, very carefully by his promoter Mick Hennessy during Fury’s four year pro career.

Fury said to Sky Sports News “I am getting closer to a shot at Klitschko myself and I’m going to show Vitali why he has to fight me because when I do a number on Johnson and him out of there I’ll have done a better job than Vitali did.”

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Will Virgil Hunter make a difference for Amir Khan?

Will Virgil Hunter make a difference for Amir Khan?By Robert Jackson: After seeing Alfredo Angulo – following a 10 month respite from the ring, KO Raul Casarez Saturday night, it had me wondering how effective would Amir Khan be in his next fight. Both Angulo and Khan now train under Virgil Hunters watchful eye and if Angulo’s performance was any indication, Khan may have made the right choice and can be expected to perform excellently.

After the fight ended, Hunter was the first one in the ring to offer support to his charge, there was a genuine closeness between the 2 men that could be seen as both men embraced each other. Hunter remained at Angulo’s side keeping the emotional Angulo calm as El Perro answered post fight questions posed by Showtime’s Jim Gray.

What was as wonderful as the comraderie between Angulo and Hunter was the near flawless performance that Angulo put on that saw him quicker and stealthier in his boxing technique than in previous fights. Granted Casarez has a lot to learn as a fighter, he hadn’t lost in 5 years and is highly regarded as an up-and-coming middleweight. Angulo’s body also looked leaner than he’s looked before.

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