21.11.07 – By Coach Tim Walker – Many analyst, commentators and even fans seem to think that the upcoming December 8th showdown between P4P champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Rick Hatton is a snoozer. For all of you thinking that let me say that you can’t really know boxing if that thought lingers in your mind. No recent fight has shown as much potential to go down in the history books as this fight. Floyd the brash cash talking slickster with skill likened in recent times only by Roy Jones, Jr. and Ricky the man who carries the love of Manchester on his shoulders. Both fighters are ultra talented and undefeated..
But being undefeated alone isn’t what makes this fight a potential instant classic. What sets this fight apart from any recent mega-fights are the elements that make up the fighters. Floyd, speed. Ricky, power. Floyd, defense. Ricky, wreckless abandon. Floyd, inside and outside fight game. Ricky, go forward body attack. This fight is everything that Mayweather/Dela Hoya wasn’t. Two superfighters in the midst of their boxing pinnacle. Both fighters born to box. Trained through adversity from early age. Eighty one wins between them and 55 knockouts. NO losses. Both apparently hungry and neither willing to back down.
This fight is a chess match between masters. We have a good idea of what Floyd is going to do in the ring. But Ricky we aren’t quit as sure. He’ll compete by simply showing up but to win this fight he will have to not fall into the sticky web that Floyd will spin. To win Ricky must press for twelve rounds all the while having his mind made up that he is going to get hit early and often. He won’t see many of the punches coming and if his press is only one or two steps swing and miss then Floyd will shutdown that type of offensive attack. If that’s the case then why do I think this is an instant classic?
The elements of this fight make it interesting but it will be the hearts of the fighters that make it timeless. Neither fighter believes they will loose, should loose or can loose and that belief above all elements will make this fight ageless. If you have ever been to a dog fight then you understand what I am talking about. Fight dogs are bred for one purpose, fighting. They get into the circle, they get pumped up and they lock into each other. For that brief time they fight as though their lives depend on it. For that brief period of time there are no excuses. That mentality is what I see in this fight.