Hatton: Six of the best

We pick out half-a-dozen of Ricky Hatton's best fights down the year.

Half-a-dozen of the Hitman's finest fights

Ricky Hatton has only been beaten once in 46 fights, won world titles at two different weights and become a household name on either side of the Atlantic. Ever since victory over Kostya Tszyu catapulted him on to the world scene in 2005 he has taken on all-comers - and not always had it his own way. There was of course the infamous defeat by Floyd Mayweather, but aside from that, the Hitman has beaten Luis Collazo, Juan Urango and Juan Lazcano on points. And he has produced stunning finishes to take care of Jose Luis Castillo, Carlos Maussa while like Tszyu, Paulie Malignaggi had to be pulled out of his pummelling. skysports.com's Tim Hobbs has followed the Hitman every step of the way and here selects half-a-dozen of the performances he rates highest, for one reason or another...

Kostya Tszyu
Won - Rtd 11. Jun 6 2005

Still the night and fight that Hatton is best remembered for, and it's hard to disagree. A night when everything fell into place and the Hitman finally broke off the shackles and burst on to the world-title scene. Tszyu, who had reigned as pound-for-pound king until injury cut him down had only boxed once in almost two-and-a-half years but there was little talk of rringrust as he demolished Sharmba Mitchell in his previous outing. Instead, Hatton set a packed MEN Arena buzzing from the bell, swarming all over his man in what still remains the most terrorising performance he has turned in. He spent long spells buried in the champion's chest, hooking, cutting and clubbing away and even if he was caught by the trademark right at the very start of every round, he barely took a backward step. The only time he was caught off balance was when Billy Graham spotted Johnny Lewis pulling his man out at the end of the 11th and the pair embraced flat out on the canvas, fulfilling a dream that was at least 13 years in the making. An iconic night not only for Hatton, Graham and Manchester, but British boxing itself.

Ben Tackie
Won - Dec 13 2003

Tackie might be the only man to have been beaten by the brothers Hatton, but don't be deceived by his muted display against Matthew last November. Back then the man from Accra was the yardstick for 140-pounders, even declaring himself the gatekeeper to the light-welterweight division. Fresh from taking both Tszyu and Mitchell the distance in defeat, Tackie was Hatton's toughest test to date in more than reputation. Forget teak-tough, we're talking titanium. Perhaps realising that sheer brute force would not budge his man, Hatton opted for a previously unseen display of boxing brilliance. Light on his feet and loose with his punches he controlled the fight from start to finish in a performance that showed the world he had the skills to match his will. Tackie was wobbled in the middle rounds and again in the 10th, but nothing could stop him coming forward. But wisely, Hatton had already realised that the scorecards would hold the key to success and he held his nerve to prevail, two judges giving him 11 of the 12. He had not been able to smash through the gate at light-welter, but boy did he pick the lock with aplomb.

Paulie Malignaggi
Won - TKO 11. Nov 22 2008

Another fight that is sure to be taken out of context by its one-sided nature, but make no mistake, this should not be overlooked. For a start, there was no margin for error: Juan Lazcano had been nervously overcome as the Hitman bounced back from his only defeat but now the world was watching to see just what Ricky Hatton had left. Malignaggi was also the next best thing at 140lbs and had never been stopped. It was also the fight which saw Floyd Mayweather Snr replace Graham as his trainer, so even by his own standards, Hatton had set the bar pretty high in terms of outside influences. But after a slow start he scaled new heights, out-boxing the boxer and producing one of the most satisfying performances of his career. Mayweather Snr's influence saw the jab return, the lateral movement back and the left hook, lethal and languid in equal measure. Many people thought the New Yorker would be too quick and too slick for an ageing Hatton, but it was the complete opposite. The best you can say about Malignaggi, so dominant was the Hitman's display, was that he did well to stay on his feet. But take your pick from round four onwards and he was never more than one more shot away from that first stoppage on his slate. There were delayed hooks, faints and most encouragingly energy right up until the 11th when Buddy McGirt jumped in to save his man from what had become a one-sided humiliation.

Jose Luis Castillo
Won - KO 4. Jun 23 2007

The biggest name on his slate at the time, Castillo was considered among the best in the business largely on the back of his sensational 2005 showdown with the Diego Corrales. Those 10 rounds of sheer torture had to take their toll but while the Mexican's failure to make lightweight twice thereafter ruined the trilogy theory, it told us that Castillo was more than ready to move up to 140lbs. When he got there though, he found a Hatton on top form, out to make the most of the big stage provided by the Thomas and Mack Center. Marco Antonio Barrera carried his IBO belt in for him, Hatton wore a poncho daubed with 'Manchester Mexican' and as soon as the size difference became apparent, this was only going one way. But as much as Castillo looked tired, he was still brave enough to stand and trade - much to Hatton's delight. A knockdown could have been ruled in the first and it was not until the third that the real Mexican got any sort of foothold in the fight. It lasted less than three minutes because in the final minute of the fourth, just after taking a low blow, Hatton produced a fabulous finish, setting his man up perfectly before landing a sickening left hook to the ribs. A few seconds later and Castillo duly crumpled in a breathless heap and if you think he might have been taking the easy way out, watch Bernard Hopkins' face in the front row when the body shot lands. Perfect execution.

Juan Urango
Won - UD 12. Jan 20 2007

Might well raise a few eyebrows but another performance that should not go under-estimated, even if it won't top many lists. The fact that Urango is, as he was then, the IBF boss at light-welter puts the performance in some sort of perspective, because it was the sort of night when Hatton needed. The Colombian was very much a new threat on the Hitman's radar, even if the Mancunian was a condsiderable step up in class for a man defending a world title for the first time. But as fight time drew close, Urango's odds shortened. Reports of Hatton carrying a cold surfaced on the eve of the fight and when the first bell sounded at The Paris Hotel, the manic support and safety of Manchester might have been a million miles away. But Hatton put that to one side and made a slick start, an irresistible force full of angled punches, short, sharp bursts and the boxing skills we hadn't seen since Tackie. After three rounds a romp was on the cards but then reality bit in and suddenly Urango became the immovable object. Although he was limited in his own attacks - his left hook was easy to pick, but potent nonetheless - the Colombian slowly crept back into the fight as Hatton faded badly. Down the stretch it became a case of hit and hold for the Hitman and so badly was he fading, Billy Graham urged him to 'just get through' the final round. That Hatton took it 119-109 on all three cards told just a small part of the story, but more importantly he had arrived in Vegas with a win and had the IBF world title back around his waist.

Carlos Maussa
Won - KO 9. Nov 26 2005

The Colombian was the follow-up to the famous win over Kostya Tszyu and Hatton's first major fight outside Manchester and first fight period outside of Frank Warren's promotional care - he came into the ring to the strains of Viola Wills' 'I'm Gonna Get Along Without You Now'. Maussa was also a tall, southpaw who had just stunned Vivian Harris to take the rather dull WBA belt, ending the fight by hammering a right at the prostrate Harris in what he called his 'nail in the coffin punch'. It meant he and not the long-time champion came to the Hallam FM Arena for the unification bout and the script was torn up inside two minutes as a clash of heads opened up a bad cut above Hatton's left eye inside two minutes. He proceded to blatantly rub his glove in the wound before another clash in the fifth saw the claret come pouring out of a cut above the right eye now. Cutsman Mick Williamson went to work in the corner while Hatton set about the Colombian, sensing an early finish would save him from further trouble caused by Maussa's long, wild rights and looping hooks. From the halfway stage the Hitman took complete control, landing to his lanky body and staying wisely out of range before finding a world-class finish in the ninth. Backing his man up in the corner, Hatton landed a short sharp right to stun Maussa and set him up for a leaping left hook that landed flush on the chin and left him slumped in an unsightly heap as the Hitman celebrated twin world titles for the first time.