Hatton Outclassed

Ricky Hatton was out-boxed by Floyd Mayweather and stopped in the 10th having hit the canvass for the third time in two rounds.

He gave it everything he had but couldn't find a chink in Mayweather's armour. The fight was rough in places and referree Cortez did not help the flow in the early rounds by continually stopping the fight everytime the two men tangled. Mayweather was was ducking low and hooking his head under a Hatton arm which was causing Cortez to intervene and it frustrated Hatton's game plan to put Mayweather under pressure from the off and try to wear him down. Hatton did catch Mayweather with a good punch that sent him reeling in the opening round but it looked better than it was.

Hatton won a few of the first 6 rounds but Mayweather never looked in any serious trouble and stepped up a gear in the 6th. His punches were much more accurate than Hatton's and he repeated landed good rights, especially in the 8th when Hatton looked in real trouble. Mayweather's corner knew the fight was theirs and Hatton's told him he couldn't afford to lose any of the last three. Ricky tried to open up in 9th and 10th but was vulnerable as he came forward flailing and it was a left from Mayweather to an exposed Hatton that did the damage. Hatton fell forward, head-butted the corner post and fell back onto the canvass. He was quick to show signs of recovery to Cortez but you knew it was over. Mayweather followed up quickly with several punches and Hatton hit the deck for the last time.

He was clearly a little bewildered immediately after the fight but acknowledged that he hadn't been able to disrupt Mayweather and he "got caught with a punch." I think he'll see from the replay that he got caught too often and too easily.

Mayweather was gracious in victory towards Hatton and appeared to say he was packing up to move into promotion. He also tried to get the vocal British contingent in the audience on his side by saying he had always dreamed of fighting in the UK and that he loved the "UK fans." He was roundly booed.