Matthew Hatton: Life After Saul Alvarez
By Donald Stewart
Two hours before heading to the press conference on the eve of his fight with Alvarez, Matthew Hatton was interviewed by the BBC.
In the interview he stated that the fight with Alvarez was at 150 pounds. He was quite clear that if Alvarez came in above the weight, the fight was off. It was even mentioned that Golden Boy had guaranteed the weight.
There would be none of that give up part of the purse nonsense if the weight wasn’t met.
That much was a guarantee.
Both had agreed the fight before the possibility of a World Title belt. Thanks to Manny Pacquiao, it became a World title fight. Hatton was going to train as if it was the biggest fight of his career so far – in fact it was!
He just didn’t realize how big a fight this was!
At the weigh in, Hatton made weight easily. Many had noted how relaxed he was. Matthew had been around big events before and being out of his brother’s shadow just seemed to suit him.
Despite the shenanigans that were expected from the Alvarez camp he was ready and so were his camp because al that had been covered. They had said what the consequences were going to be. Golden Boy was never going to renege.
The Hatton camp attended the weigh in along with Alvarez. Matthew was no problem. Up came Alvarez and surprise, surprise he was over weight. Off he pops to lose it and comes back just 4 ounces lighter.
The Hatton camp had always believed that their opposition would try and get clever with the weigh in. Being proved right was no consolation.
Matthew had the get out clause. He had made the warnings but like so many people who believe what they are told never thought he would have to use the ultimate sanction.
It turned into Ricky his brother heaping praise upon his brother after the weigh in when Matthew decided to fight on. The Alvarez purse had a chunk taken out of it and relinquished. Various reports put this at between 25 to 35% of the overall purse.
An expensive weight gain!
The fight went on and Hatton lost. Hatton struggled to gain the weight needed to get to 150 pounds and the whole audience could see the toll it played on his body. He was fit enough but this was an over puffed performance.
Hatton’s performance did not convince any judges and they all gave each round to Mexican sensation and the youngest world champion Saul Alvarez.
There is no getting away from the fact that Alvarez out fought, out punched and out boxed Matthew Hatton. To ignore the fact that Hatton had to gain the weight to make the fight is to do an injustice to Matthew. He trained hard and fought hard.
He was just beaten by a man who used his weight advantage to perfection.
Matthew has confirmed he shall get back down to his normal fighting weight – welterweight. We can expect that his performance in the United States has got some people’s attention.
Golden Boy certainly believes he has a future and, having given up his European belt to fight for the World one Hatton may not be without a belt for long.
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Already the WBC fight between Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto may decide Hatton’s next challenger. The fight would again be for a World title and as Hatton has now crossed back across the Atlantic the UK can hope that another World Champ can still be Hatton promoted.
At his more natural weight he would have a much better chance and the time of the brother may have come at last!