Geno’s Boxing Corner: Ricky Hatton on Cocaine, Floyd Mayweather JR the Wife Beater & Some Good Boxing News Too
By Geno McGahee
Hitman Hooked on Coke
I was really saddened to see one of my favorite fighters, Ricky “Hitman” Hatton, on video snorting cocaine. He has admitted a problem and is now seeking help, but it’s too bad that it had to be on video first and shown to the world for him to realize an issue.
Hatton, as a fighter, was a gutsy puncher with a huge heart and was able to beat an all time great fighter in Kostya Tszyu on heart and grit. He filled the stadiums, won over the crowd with his personality and humor, and was never afraid to take on any challenger. His refusal to duck a fighter led to knockout losses to the top of the game in Floyd Mayweather, JR., and Manny Pacquiao.
The last defeat was to Manny Pacquiao in a very high profile fight on a large PPV stage. The world saw Hatton flattened in two rounds. The knockout was so scary that I was very concerned about the British superstar as he lay there unconscious. That was the last image that most boxing fans have in their memories when they think about the man as a fighter. Now we have a new image.
Hatton has a reputation as a drinker and his weight often fluctuated dramatically between fights, typically looking bloated going into training. The focus had usually been on the abuse his body goes through due to the partying and weight fluctuation but now we know that the partying went too far.
I have read some articles about the Hitman where he has been insulted for this. Now, I don’t buy this nonsense about drug addiction or alcoholism being a disease. This just didn’t happen to Hatton. People become drug addicts through their own lapses in good judgment. Hatton is the only one to blame for this, but he doesn’t need to be publicly executed for it. It is a disappointment, but let’s hope he caught it in time. Cocaine is nasty stuff and has a reputation for ruining lives, and there is a great deal of pressure on a celebrity like Hatton and some deal with it better than others. This will be the toughest opponent in the life of Hatton. I wish him luck.
Floyd Mayweather Domestic Drama
I used to think that Floyd was the only Mayweather with some class. Well, Jeff Mayweather you never really hear anything negative about….but Floyd SR and of course, Roger, have not kept their noses clean with the law. Now, “Money” Mayweather was arrested on grand larceny charges for stealing his ex-girlfriend’s cell phone. His son also, reportedly, told the police that his dad hit and kicked his mother. It’s not been a good couple of weeks for the pound for pound best.
There are signs that Floyd is not right mentally, and it all stems from the proposed Manny Pacquiao fight. There is a large group that is ready to pick Manny to win, and they are not part of the “PacNut” group. There have been continual insults pointed at Floyd from the group of fanatical followers and some groupie/fan boy writers and he is not immune to it. Uncle Roger has his own legal troubles. It has all taken its toll on Floyd. He now has something that he has never had before: doubt.
A recent video with racist rants, no bout signed for the near future, and domestic problems aired across the world are on the mind of Mayweather. He came back to boxing when Pacquiao made his rise, and took offense to those proclaiming the Filipino as the pound for pound best. It bothered him so much that he announced his return the day of a Pacquiao PPV fight in hopes of stealing the attention away from his rival.
Floyd seems to be in self destruction mode and the more things that apparently bother him, the more the chances of Pacquiao upsetting him increase. When Pacquiao beats Antonio Margarito, there will be no other fight but Floyd but it fell apart twice already and I have very low expectations that it will happen in the future. I, like the rest of the world, are hoping for it, but it’s becoming more and more clear that Floyd has his reservations that stretch beyond possible steroid use.
Wladimir Klitschko Beats off Smaller Peter
The IBO/IBF/WBO Heavyweight Champion dominated and destroyed the challenger, former WBC Heavyweight Champion, Sam Peter over the weekend. At this point, it’s hard to imagine any of the current crop of contenders upsetting the Klitschko rule. Wladimir controls the distance well and drops in punches with precision. Peter never had a chance and at 241 pounds, he was in incredible shape. Wlad beat a quality opponent with ease.
So who beats Wlad?
The easy answer is nobody at this time. David “Hayemaker” Haye, the WBA Champion, is slated to fight Audley Harrison in his next defense and has shown no interest in a unification. How can you blame him? Wlad has never looked better. Nobody can get to him and the way to beat him is to get to him and put a lot of pressure on him. The other option is to blitz him. Nobody has been able to do either recently.
When you look over the top 30 of the boxing big men, it’s hard to pick a guy that has a chance to beat one of the Klitschko brothers. Alexander Povetkin has some potential with Teddy Atlas in his corner, but he still needs grooming. They may be waiting for the Klitschko brothers to leave boxing before making the move. Other than Povetkin, there aren’t many that have a chance to change the face of the heavyweight division.
Wlad’s performance against Peter was great and I look forward to seeing the brave soul that signs on to face him in his next defense.