Hatton routs Malignaggi, McGirt stops it in the 11th

by SC on Nov 22, 2008 11:51 PM EST in Post-Fight Analysis Comment 9 comments

Trainer Buddy McGirt stopped the fight in the 11th round, and Ricky Hatton retained his junior welterweight championship with a rather dominant performance against top-ranked contender Paulie Malignaggi on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Malignaggi had trouble from start to finish against Hatton, essentially, winning the first round but that's about it. Hatton hurt Malignaggi in the second round and had him hanging on for dear life, and shook him up a few more times during the fight.

It was the slickster Malignaggi who held and held, and after the fight, Malignaggi complained openly with Larry Merchant of HBO about the stoppage. "I'm better than getting stopped," he said, while classy about both Hatton and the British fans in attendance.

Frankly, from my perspective, the stoppage did seem a bit selfish on Buddy McGirt's behalf, as Malignaggi failed to implement his advice over and over during the fight. McGirt, honestly, has had plenty of failures over the last couple of years. It's totally speculative and I may be reading more into it than necessary, but McGirt's body language with the stoppage seemed more annoyed and frustrated than concerned. Maybe it's only me, but I didn't particularly like the stoppage at all. Paulie was losing, yes, but he was battling to finish the fight. Not getting stopped is a big deal to him. He wasn't getting killed in there or anything.

Brian Vera, though, was getting killed in there by James Kirkland when referee Vic Drakulich stepped in to stop the action in the eighth round. Vera had gone down twice (once in the seventh, twice in the second) and was getting tagged routinely by Kirkland. He did show that Kirkland's power was not amazing, I guess, but he didn't disprove that it's very, very real. Vera's a tough, tough kid, but he took a beating.

We'll have much more tomorrow on both fights, so come back then. Thanks for joining us tonight!

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Awesome card. My first viewing of both Hatton and Paulie. I thought Paulie was doing good until he got caught and then I think he stuck more with his version of a double leg. I didn’t understand it and it was getting a bit frustrating. I can understand his trainer throwing it in. Surprised by Hatton’s cheering section. Almost like the music section in Muay Thai fights.

Oh! And smiling don’t mean you’re alright Vera, it means your stupid.

Gotta thank my friends from across the pond. They didn’t need to share watching the event at 4 in the morn, but it’s cool they did. Packet’s in the mail.

by RoyalB on Nov 23, 2008 12:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sorry but I'm all for Buddy's stoppage

I know it seems selfish and maybe it was but when you know you’re fighter that well and you know it’s pointless just to let him stay out there to take a beating for the opportunity of hoping to make it a full 12 rounds, it’s the wrong reason to keep the fight going.

I know ego and pride are in play when it comes to boxing but sometimes those characteristics just need to take a back seat. A fighter is in there to fight and try to win the fight. If you’re gonna do neither, then it becomes pointless.

Oh, and to say you went 12 rounds with a washed up Hatton anyways doesn’t mean shit to me personally.

On a side note . . . OASIS LOVES BOXING!

by Option27 on Nov 23, 2008 3:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is Hatton washed up?....Scary

Mainstream is brought to you ..
Underground you got to go there...

by dinkman on Nov 24, 2008 3:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing to get me excited about

Still sloppy as hell.

by Option27 on Nov 26, 2008 1:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Paulie with a Graf Orlok look from Nosferatu after his lost.

"I beat him so bad, he ended up in the Hospital. And I am still pretty." -Cassius Clay

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Nov 23, 2008 5:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Boxing Public Policy

After the fight, Paulie tried to liken his performance against Hatton to that of his fight with Cotto. I totally disagree. Against Cotto, Paulie was showing courage, grit and actually competing and winning rounds. He was doing neither last night.

As a matter of boxing policy I appreciate the stoppage. I would’ve really appreciated some points taken from Paulie for incessant holding. “yeah but Hatton holds all the time”. Hatton holds and hits, works and muscles. Paulie held, ducked and held. It did look at times like he was going for a scoop and slam double leg takedown.

Buddy did the right thing, there was no point to that fight continuing as his fighter was not competing.

by lcollins1 on Nov 23, 2008 6:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Can anyone send me a link to an online video please?

Favourite 5 boxers of all time (in no particular order)-
Ricky Hatton
Lennox Lewis
Marvin Hagler
Marco Antonio Barrera
Prince Naseem Hamed

by Chaos100 on Nov 23, 2008 7:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kirkland

seemed to be all that he was advertised. I couldn’t tell if his power was a bit overestimated or if Vera had a good chin. Either way, I enjoyed that fight way more than the main event.

"There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy!" ----Brobee

by Pops Daniels on Nov 24, 2008 11:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hatton-Malignaggi

I thought pretty boy Paulie was trying to make love to Hatton the amount of times he was holding him.
But seriously pre fight i had my doubts that Hatton would win this one. Bad diet outside the ropes, looking like a Day of the dead extra up till fight night and complete change of trainer i thought Malignaggi might just upset our most famous chav.
Not watched the fight again yet i remember watching Hatton dominate pretty much every round but the first -Had a bit of Fattons diet myself that night. I thought he was good and best i seen since Kosta in 05. A well deserved Ring champion who made mincemeat out of the number 2 guy out there. I no problems with the stoppage, No way Paulie was going to win.