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Sunday 23 November 2008
Hatton dominates Malignaggi
KEEP WATCHING THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTS (Sorry about the music but its not mine)
Looking much like the fighter he's always been, Hatton dominated the fight from the second round on last night before Malignaggi's trainer stepped into the ring 28 seconds into the 11th round to spare his fighter any further damage.
Fighting in the same ring where he suffered his only loss against Floyd Mayweather Jr. a year ago, Hatton stunned Malignaggi early and dominated him the rest of the way in a fight that was never really in doubt. In winning easily, he staked his claim once again as the best 140-pounder in the world.
Hatton brought in Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., to help him with his defensive techniques for the fight, but he didn't need much defense against the light-hitting Malignaggi, who could never find an answer to Hatton's all-out fighting style.
Hatton had won nine of 10 rounds on all three ringside scorecards when the fight was finally stopped. Though Hatton never managed to put Malignaggi down, he hurt him several times.
"I enjoyed it this time better than I did last time - that's for sure," Hatton said. "Nobody will beat me at junior welterweight - nobody."
Malignaggi never seemed the same after the second round when Hatton hit him with a right hand that buckled his legs and forced him to hold on to survive the last 30 seconds of the round. From then on it was all Hatton, much to the delight of several thousand British fans who cheered and sang their countryman's praises from the start.
Malignaggi's face was bruised and his eyes puffy midway through the fight as Hatton's punches began showing their effect. By the eighth round, Hatton was chasing Malignaggi and taking wild swings at him, clearly unimpressed with the power of a fighter who had only five knockouts in his 26 professional fights.
"I was getting frustrated during the fight because Paulie was a lot tougher fighter than you would think," said Hatton (45-1).
At the end of the 10th round, trainer Buddy McGirt warned Malignaggi that he would stop the fight if he continued to take a beating, and it didn't take long for him to follow through. McGirt came into the ring and the fight was stopped, much to the displeasure of Malignaggi, who shoved his trainer away when he tried to embrace him.
"I was worse off in the Miguel Cotto fight," Malignaggi said of his only previous loss. "They didn't stop it then, they shouldn't have stopped it now."
McGirt was unapologetic. "My guy was hurting and I wanted him to live to fight another day," he said. "I would rather have him mad at me stopping the fight than let him get hurt and never fight again."
Saturday 22 November 2008
THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN - BRITS TAKE OVER LAS VEGAS
Hatton's fan base returns one year after the British boxer's loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
**** Todays Tip ****
(Its not just live on TV)
Ricky Hatton makes his return to the MGM Grand boxing ring tonight in a 12-round match that has given his dedicated and noisy fan base another reason to depart Manchester, England, in early winter.
Almost a year ago, Dec. 8, 2007, Hatton battled Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a welterweight title fight that received international attention, not only for the quality of competition, but also for the size and volume of Hatton's fan base.
Mayweather stopped Hatton with a flurry of shots in the 10th round of that one and retired (for the moment) with an unbeaten record.Hatton, 30, kept going, beating Juan Lazcano in England in May to bring his record to 44-1.
His opponent tonight will be Brooklyn fighter Paulie Malignaggi, who has also lost only once, in 26 fights, and who may have been most impressive in his 12-round loss in June 2006 to Miguel Cotto. Malignaggi will turn 28 Sunday. Hatton's 44 victories have included 31 knockouts. Malignaggi's 25 victories have included five knockouts.
Hatton hit the 140-pound match weight on the number at Friday's weigh-in, and Malignaggi was a pound below at 139. As it did when Hatton took on Mayweather, the weigh-in crowd belonged to Hatton.
They cheered him, sang songs about him, mugged for any camera they could find and kept the beer vendors busy. The crowd was slightly smaller than last year's for Hatton-Mayweather. Officials said tickets were still available.
STATS...
RICKY HATTON (IBO and Ring magazine light-welterweight title holder)
Age: 30
Nickname: The Hitman
Hometown: Manchester
Pro Record: W44 L1 (31KOs)
Weight: 10st
Height: 5ft 7in
Reach: 65in
Neck: 15in
Chest (normal): 37in
Chest (expanded): 39in
Biceps: 13in
Forearm: 9.5in
Wrist: 7in
Fist: 11.5in
Waist: 30in
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
(Former IBF light-welterweight champion)
Age: 27
Nickname: Magic Man
Hometown: New York
Pro Record: W25 L1 (5KOs)
Weight: 10st
Height: 5ft 8.5in
Reach: 70in
Neck: 15in
Chest (normal): 38in
Chest (expanded): 40.5in
Biceps: 12.75in
Forearm: 11.5in
Wrist: 6.75in
Fist: 10.75in
Waist: 30.5in
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