Rumor: Ricky Hatton to return in November

by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2009 6:18 AM EDT in Boxing Rumors

Former junior welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton is rumored to be planning a November return to the ring. (via static.guim.co.uk)

Pat Sheehan of The Sun reports that Ricky Hatton is planning a November return to action in England, though no official announcement of any sort has been made. He says that Hatton has already started talking about opponents, and hold on to your hats, folks, this could be a big one.

Hatton is looking into fighting... OK, are you sitting down?

WBA welterweight titlist (of some sort) Vyacheslav Senchenko! THAT'S RIGHT! The Vyacheslav Senchenko!

Senchenko is a Ukrainian with a 29-0 (20) record who won his (some sort of) title from Yuri Nuzhenko via 12-round decision in April. He's 5'10" with a 70" reach, which gives him a distinct physical advantage against the 5'7" Hatton, whose 65" reach has been a serious hindrance in welterweight bouts past.

I mean no great offense to Senchenko, but he's about as no-name as a major titleholder (of some sort) can get. This would be Hatton's way of pretending he's not taking a tune-up because the guy holds a trinket. It's a tune-up. Even with the undefeated record, it's a tune-up.

This doesn't answer the question of whether or not Ricky is simply looking for one more fight so he can go out with a win (he's stated numerous times he hates the idea of quitting on a loss), or if he'll try to make his way back into a big money fight.

To say this isn't the comeback fight some would have hoped for is a gross understatement, and I don't think this thing would find American TV unless the promoters got Ron Popeil to host the broadcast. But if Hatton wants to fight on and this is the sort of fight he's looking for, then all the best to him. Given my Hatton fandom, I'd surely find some way to watch.

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Thought so..

Losing to the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao doesn’t signal the end of a good career.

I can’t think of very many fighters that would get past both of them or either of them in any time period of boxing.

by MannyPacquiao on Jul 15, 2009 8:38 AM EDT reply actions

If he goes up to welterweight, it’s not a tune-up. Hatton is just not a top welterweight — even a no-name titlist could give him trouble up there.

by schraubd on Jul 15, 2009 10:08 AM EDT reply actions

What did you expect?

Hatton wanted a comeback fight in front of his home fans, he was hardly going to be calling out a pound-for-pound guy. I have no idea how good Senchenko is, but a 5"10 welterweight ‘titlist’ sounds a tougher match-up than I had expected.

He should hopefully still be well beaten by Ricky, but it adds a few question marks to the fight

by thirdslip on Jul 15, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah… Shane is the real WBA Champ…..

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Jul 15, 2009 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

If Hatton wants to fight for a welterweight title… go for broke and fight Mosley, and not some interim nobody.

"Boxing is dirty," said Casamayor. " The day I’m not ready to be a dirty fighter is the day I don’t fight anymore because it will mean that I have no heart for it anymore."

by Zocalo on Jul 15, 2009 11:05 PM EDT reply actions

Do you even think that's a remotely competitive fight?

Hatton was lucky to beat Collazo at welterweight before he got KO’d by Mayweather and annihilated by Pacquiao. What makes you think he’d be remotely competitive with Mosley at welterweight now? That fight is a gimmick.

by schraubd on Jul 15, 2009 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions