By Shaun Brown
BEFORE RICKY Hatton’s crowning moment in June 2005, when he forced Kostya Tszyu to quit on his stool, he underwent a long, hard education in the ring. His reputation was rising fast as the new century began, but the path to greatness was still some way off.
From Manchester to York Hall, even Detroit, ‘The Hitman’ gathered the mettle, experience and ring craft that would one day make him a world champion.
But what was Hatton like before the world titles and the Vegas nights? Boxing News spoke with four men who shared the ring with him – Jon Thaxton, Jason Rowland, Mike Stewart and Ray Oliveira – to find out what it was like to face Ricky Hatton.
What are your memories of the fight?
Jon Thaxton: “My favourite fight. We were knocking hell out of each other. I gave my all that night, but I got beat by the better person. He was a phenomenal fighter, a lot more talented than I was. I knew he was a body puncher, but I did 5,000 sit-ups a day. He hit me with some Brahmas, but I was so up for it – it was Wembley, it was for the British title. After the fight, we were both being stitched up. He had stitches in his eye, I had a load of stitches in my face. And I said to him, I said, “Ricky, I really enjoyed that. Thanks very much, we must do it again.” And he just turned around and said: ‘You can f*** right off!’. Typical Ricky – always the comic.”
Jason Rowland: “Being beat is the first thing that comes to mind. It was a 50-50 fight. I know a lot more now. I would have gone into the fight differently. The occasion was massive; everything was for Ricky. I was meant to fight him in London and I had to pull out because I was ill. I remember being at the press conference and one of the reporters said: ‘You’ve been watching tapes of Ricky?’ And I said: ‘Well, he’s on telly every other week, I don’t need to.’ He was a great little fighter, great for the fans and he got so many kids into boxing.”
Michael Stewart: “I had to lose some weight and it killed me, but I’ll tell you what: Ricky Hatton was strong as hell. He was probably the strongest guy I ever fought. Not only was he strong, he had a lot of energy. When I fought him, he was at the top of his game. In that fifth round, when I was knocked down, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything more, because Ricky was too strong.”
Ray Oliveira: “I went to London and thought it was going to be hostile and rude, but Ricky just made me feel welcome. He was so excited. He’s like: ‘Ray, we got the same birthday.’ I looked at him, I said: ‘Yeah, but you’re 10 years younger.’ In the first round, he punched my left eardrum, and by round three, he punched my right eardrum. I had no equilibrium; I couldn’t stand or nothing. Every time he hit me, I was off balance. When I was down on the ground, the referee was counting, he goes: ‘Ray, you getting up?’ I smiled, I said: ‘Nah, I’m good.’”
What was he like to fight?
Thaxton: “Relentless. I knew what I was going into, and I knew I had to be on my game. Even with his cut, he kept bobbing, weaving, coming at me. I didn’t think he hit as hard as some of the people I boxed, but he was relentless. I went with him as much as I could. I gave my all that night, and I could not have given any more. Although I was his gatekeeper, he also made my name as well.”
Rowland: “I coped with him for a bit until that long left to the body caught me. He was probably the best fighter I boxed. It was what he’d done with his feet – he was in and out. I couldn’t get my jab going. I went to the body and that’s when he cracked me with a left hook. His left hooks and his power punching – it soon takes its toll on you. It happened so quick. He was an exceptional fighter. He’s probably the best body puncher to come out of this country.”
Stewart: “I’d seen him gun down all types of guys. You know who it was like fighting? Julio Cesar Chavez. I watched Chavez coming up and it was like fighting him. His strength, his output, the way he put his punches together… after I fought him, I paid more attention to him.”
Oliveira: “Ricky was a very smart boxer. The kind of opponents I liked – the guys that came at me – it gave me the chance to let my punches go. Ricky didn’t stay in front of me; he gave me angles. I thought he would come at me and be as easy as me to hit. I’d think he was in front of me, and then suddenly he steps to the left, boom. I think he’s back in front of me, nope, he steps to the right, boom. He was very smart.”
BN: Did you think he’d become a world champion?
Thaxton: “Yeah. To be fair, if they’d have stopped it on that cut, we’d have had a rematch, and the fight might not have been as memorable. I’m proud of my performance that night. Sometimes, it’s not how you win, it’s also how you lose. But he was, by far, the better person. You knew he was going to be a future world champion. When he was ready for the big man, Kostya Tszyu, what a performance and what a night. That was his moment. Whatever he’d done afterwards, that was his moment.”
Rowland: “Yeah, I did, with his backing and all that. I thought he’d go all the way. I went to see him a couple of times in Vegas with my wife, against Castillo and Mayweather. There was 30,000 people there – it was amazing. He was a friend; we got on well. He was loved by loads of people as well. And for getting kids off the street there was no one better than Ricky Hatton.”
Stewart: “Oh, yeah, no doubt. I fought Sharmba Mitchell, and Ricky was better than him. Mitchell would have gave Hatton a lot of problems because of his style. But when Ricky stopped Kostya Tszyu, I said: ‘Oh, s***. I didn’t expect Ricky to win. After that, I didn’t hear guys like Zab Judah call him out, but the fight I wanted to see was Ricky vs Miguel Cotto. That would have been a game-changer for the sport.”
Oliveira: “Yeah. Right after that fight, I told him ‘you’re more than ready to come to American and fight Mayweather’. I always thought that. I did say – I’m not gonna lie – ‘Don’t fight Mayweather first.’ Ricky was this amazing champion, not just inside the ring, he was a champion outside the ring. I could see how the people loved him. I always remember that. I thought he would beat Kostya Tszyu. I didn’t think that Ricky was just a banger – he had great footwork and fighting angles. He was very smart.”