Hatton: has to fight in waves

We all know how good Mayweather is defensively and there's every chance he will make Hatton miss, but if he can't catch him cleanly, the bottom line is he has to deliver more shots. And if he can, he has to land the better shots.

Jim Watt
Quotes of the week

HOW TO BOOK THE FIGHT
Ricky Hatton v Floyd Mayweather
Exclusively live on Sky Box Office
£14.95 (UK) and €21.95 (ROI)
Call 08705 800 888 or
Click here for full details

Everything is in place for Ricky Hatton to beat Floyd Mayweather and become the best boxer in the world.

Of course, putting it into practice is not going to be easy, but looking at what he has to do and how I see the fight going, there is no reason why we can't have a Brit on top of the world.

But to do it, there are certain things Hatton has to do. And he has to do them well. Very well. Better than he has ever done them before.

First and foremost he has to set the pace. And he has to maintain it. That is vital because if he lets Mayweather control this fight, he is not going to get close to him.

The pace has to be fast as well. Not frantic, but enough to stop Mayweather settling into a rhythm and enough to keep him on the back foot.

Against someone with his speed and skill, that is not going to be easy.

Gameplan

But another thing in Hatton's favour is that it will not mean him having to change his usual gameplan much and it's crucial that he does what he has always done... just much better.

From what we've seen so far, everything suggests he is capable of doing that.

He looks in great shape and I think his preparation has been tremendous. This is his third fight in Las Vegas and he has learned from past experiences.

There don't appear to have been any of the problems before and although you are always going to get little injuries here and there, Ricky could not be in better physical condition.

This will be his third fight this year as well and that means he has had less time out of the ring, which is a huge plus.

I have to admit I was a little concerned that he went out there a full two weeks before fight night, when perhaps I'd have left it until a week to 10 days before.

But it looks as if it has paid off. He looks focussed, he and Billy Graham will have done their homework and devised a plan.

And if that plan doesn't involve getting hit by Floyd Mayweather I'd be surprised, shocked and worried. He will get hit on the way in, we know that. He knows that, Floyd knows that.

It happened against Kostya Tszyu and it will happen here. But - and this is another plus point in his favour - Mayweather is nothing like the puncher Tszyu was. There's no question about that.

Exchanges

Of course, his precision is better and there will be times when Hatton, as he tries to hit Mayweather, will get hit at the same time. He has to be prepared for those exchanges.

We all know how good Mayweather is defensively and there's every chance he will make Hatton miss, but if he can't catch him cleanly, the bottom line is he has to deliver more shots.

And if he can, he has to land the better shots.

He has to be aggressive but he cannot afford to be reckless. Now matter how frustrated he might get and no matter how many times Mayweather makes him miss, he has to keep calm. He can't just keep running in throwing crazy punches, because Floyd will pick him off all night long.

What I would suggest is that he fights in short, sharp bursts. He doesn't have to fight for every second of every round, just get in, let off a barrel-load of punches and get out - and then maybe do nothing for the next 10 seconds.

If he fights in waves like that, it will ensure he doesn't become ragged. But when he does go to work it can't just be a few shots, he has to let loose with six, seven even eight punches at a time and then settle back down again.

People might say that is not enough to go into the champion's backyard and take the belt off him, but I disgaree. I happen to think the judges will like Ricky's style.

Counter

I think there are going to be plenty of close rounds but if either fighter is going to nick it doing what they do, then it will be Hatton.

We know Mayweather is just going to take half-a-step back from those leads and try and hit back on the counter, which in a close fight, might not do him any favours.

But this is Las Vegas, Mayweather is the best in the world, so I would say Hatton has to go out and stop him. And even though everything I have just mentioned makes it look easy, it is going to be anything but that.

I still think you have to make Mayweather the favourite.

Look at his recent fights and performances, he might have his critics but they speak for themselves. I am still not convinced he beat Oscar de la Hoya, but that was Oscar. In Vegas. He was booed against Carlos Baldomir, but Baldomir is a fully-blown welterweight. He beat Zab Judah, who lightning-fast as well.

Now whatever you say about those performances, you have to ask if Hatton would have done as favourably against those same opponents. I am not so sure he would, which is why you still have to really side with the Pretty Boy.

That is the harsh reality. What I have listed here is really what I am hoping - and praying - will happen.

Like I said earlier, it would be tremendous for British boxing and round off a fantastic year.

Is Hatton going to do it? My head says no, but my heart says yes. If anyone out there can beat Floyd Mayweather, it is Ricky.