Gambling Zone sat down with the iconic British lightweight fighter Ricky Hatton to discuss the biggest topics in boxing, including Fury vs Joshua, Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez, his son Campbell and why YouTube boxers will never be taken seriously.
AJ vs Fury - The Biggest Fight In British Boxing History
Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are the two biggest names in British boxing, and while the latter may have been having a bit of a slump in recent years, Ricky Hatton still believes a showdown between the two men would be ‘the biggest fight in British boxing history’.
Like many of us, however, Hatton is perplexed about why the fight hasn’t happened yet. ‘ It’s getting to the stage where all the noise around it, it’s getting a bit embarrassing. I’m not pointing the finger at Tyson or AJ, nor do I think why it hasn’t happened is down to Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn – nobody knows what the negotiations are like and who is in the right or who is in the wrong. We don’t know what the root of the problem is. It could be a number of things: the purse, the TV, location, we don’t know.’
While Hatton believes a showdown between the two men would be huge, he also believes that the two men never fighting would be a massive loss and, in some ways, damaging to the sport. He talked about how MMA and even YouTubers deliver the fights people want to see, but boxing is getting left behind because fights like Fury vs AJ are not happening. He finished by emphasising this point, saying, ‘If the fight doesn’t happen, it can’t be good for boxing, certainly not in this country.’
Hatton backs Fury in AJ fight
Betting On Tyson
Hatton also weighed in on how he thought a potential fight between the two men would end. While he noted that the heavyweight division is extremely unpredictable and that one punch can end a match, he believes Tyson Fury would be the favourite.
He said, ‘I think you’d have to go with Tyson as being the favourite if and when the fight does happen. I think Fury would be the slight favourite, and I don’t think AJ would have a pop at me for suggesting that because of some of his recent performances. If you asked me where to put my last pound, I’d put it on Tyson.’
A Major Milestone For Josh Taylor
There is much more to the British boxing scene than Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, though, and Hatton was eager to discuss this weekend’s upcoming matches featuring British stars. Josh Taylor takes on Teofimo Lopez in New York, and Sunny Edwards headlines at Wembley Arena against Andres Campos.
Talking of Taylor’s fight, he said that his clash with Lopez is the kind of fight that boxing needs, once again referencing the lack of big matches in the heavyweight division.
Taylor will compete in Maddison Square Garden for the first time in his career, a venue that Hatton knows all too well. Hatton fought at the Garden in only his second professional match, defeating Robbie Alvarez by unanimous decision. He said that MSG is a venue that everything boxer wants to fight in. Speaking about the venue, he said ‘If you’re a world-class footballer, you’d want to test yourself in the legendary leagues at the legendary stadiums. Any top boxer wants to fight in Vegas, the Garden, Atlantic City, you want to have the opportunity in your career.’
Of course, a big stage brings a lot of pressure, but Hatton believes Taylor can handle it. ‘Taylor will be thinking about the magnitude of the event, and I think he’ll warm to it – he will handle the pressure of fighting there. You dream of fighting on those stages, and he’ll be ready for it.’
Milestone for Josh Taylor this weekend
A Proud Moment As Sunny Edwards Headlines
Sunny Edwards will make his debut for Matchroom Boxing on Saturday night, and Ricky believes the fact he is headlining such a big card shows how much faith Eddie Hearn has in him. Both Edwards and Campos will put undefeated records on the line, with Edwards’s IBF World Flyweight Title being defended.
Hatton said Saturday’s match presents a big opportunity for Edwards, saying that he was proud of what the young fighter has achieved in his career so far.
Campbell Hatton On The Road To Success
A young British boxer extremely close to Ricky’s heart is his son, Campbell Hatton. Campbell recently scored his 12th professional victory, picking up a fifth-round TKO win against Michal Bulik in the Manchester Arena.
Ricky remained humble but optimistic when talking about his son’s career to date. Talking about the Bulik fight, he described his son as patient, praising him for his ability to keep his composure and his shape to overcome a tough opponent. He said, ‘I think he showed a massive improvement in this fight. Speaking on behalf of my brother Matthew, his trainer and Eddie Hearn, who looks after him, I’m still happy that was his first eight-rounder.’
He said that it was important not to get ‘too excited’ or ‘too giddy’, but he said that Campbell is not far from his first area title or English title fight. He believes consistency is the key to success, saying ‘we just need to keep doing what we’re doing before we go to the next level.’
YouTuber's will never be taken seriously
YouTube Boxing Pulling In The Money
In recent years, the boxing scene has become an unlikely destination for YouTubers and social media influencers. While this was something that the wider boxing community mocked at first, the commercial power of these fights is difficult to ignore, with more and more ex-pros and MMA fighters putting on their gloves to take on Youtube stars.
While Hatton believes YouTube boxers will never be taken seriously by the wider boxing community, he said you couldn’t blame boxers for taking the money on offer. ‘ I don’t blame any of these guys for fighting. Tommy Fury, you know, when he had the chance to fight Jake Paul, my reaction was, “Go for it, Tommy, lad!” How many people get to have the opportunity to fight on a stage that big and earn that kind of money? Go for it.’ While Fury’s full purse for his fight with Jake Paul is unknown, it is expected to be in the millions comfortably.
However, Hatton said that fighters like Jake Paul must understand their place and not get carried away. Talking about Paul, he said ‘Jake Paul turning around and saying, “I want to fight Canelo Alvarez”. Shut up! You’re not going to fight Canelo Alvarez – you couldn’t live with Canelo Alvarez – just see your fights for what they are. The boxing community doesn’t begrudge Jake Paul the opportunity to go and make that type of money, but just keep it real, you know what I mean. If Jake Paul came into the real world of professional boxing, he would be in trouble!’
While he did say Paul needs to know his level, he also joked that many pro boxers would love to be in Paul’s shoes right now, highlighting the crowds he has been able to pull and the money and attention his fights have drawn.
