Hatton vs Urango - who wins?

[kurtangle01]

If you`re going for Urango............i`ll go for Hatton...............whoever wins gets to pick any drink he wants in March

But I'm going for Hatton so you'll have to go for Urango.

[Kaip]

But I'm going for Hatton so you'll have to go for Urango.

hahahaha................sorry fella,that was meant for mike................i`m pissed by the way

[kurtangle01]

hahahaha................sorry fella,that was meant for mike................i`m pissed by the way

Thought so.

[kurtangle01]

I posted a few minutes ago that Urango had weighed in at 140 bang on. That was according to SSN but a few of the web sites I've read have said that he was 139lbs, the same as Ricky. Castillo has also made the weight for his fight on the under card.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I'm not sure to be honest. Hatton was very big up until about 2-3 months ago but he always seems to be big in between fights. He weighed in at 9 stone 13 lbs at the weigh in so he's obviously made it it quite easily.

As for looking gaunt...I think Hatton looks in the best shape I've seen him for a long time.

I would have to agree with you as Hatton looks to be in great nick. Looks really fit. No problems with losing too much weight too quickly for him this time out. Unlike the bookies and general public, Hatton is not taking the threat of Urango lightly.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Yes that's right now I remember. Urango looks a big lad and he will undoubtedly carry some power but from what I've seen, which I admit is very little, he looks quite slow. Would I be right in saying that?

He would not normally be a slow fighter, he can fight at different paces and be comfortable. I'm curious to see the tactics he tries against Hatton, I have a feeling that they are both going to start with the same tactic, to try to outbox the other early before bringing the firepower to bear.

Was watching some footage this morning of Hatton in training and he looks sharp, better than I have seen him look in years to be honest.

[kurtangle01]

Here's a good Hatton article from one of the Las Vegas papers.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Jan-20-Sat-2007/sports/12085090.html

BOXING: Faces tell entire story for tonight's Hatton-Urango fight

Juan Urango is built like a champion, but the IBF junior welterweight titleholder has little chance against Ricky Hatton.
Photo by Jane Kalinowsky.

There has to be a bodybuilding contest somewhere that Juan Urango can win. The guy is built like a 140-pound version of Mr. Olympia.

It's too bad there isn't one scheduled, because he would fare a lot better than he will tonight against Ricky Hatton.

The affable Brit is a 7-1 favorite for their IBF junior welterweight title fight at Paris Las Vegas, though Urango is the reigning champion.

There is a reason Hatton is 7-1 odds, even though Urango (17-0-1, 13 knockouts) is unbeaten.

You can see it in Hatton's face.

He has won money at the gaming tables. He has downed a few pints with friends and fans in the pubs. He has charmed everyone he has come into contact with and has given the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority a year's worth of material in a few days.

The only problem Hatton may have is getting out of Las Vegas on Thursday and returning home to Manchester, England. He has become beloved here so quickly, he might not be allowed to leave.

His face tells the story of a confident, content young man poised to succeed Oscar De La Hoya as boxing's biggest star.

Not even De La Hoya has Hatton's combination of eye-grabbing style, self-deprecating humor and natural charisma.

His in-ring style is so entertaining that former lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo, whose 2005 bout with Diego Corrales is perhaps the greatest fight ever, said of him, "He fights like a Mexican."

There is no bigger compliment coming from a Mexican fighter than to say one fights like a Mexican.

You can see the outcome of the fight in Urango's face, too. His face tells the story of a guy stuck in unfamiliar surroundings, awed by the hoopla, overcome by the moment.

He says all the requisite things -- he's in the best shape of his life, he's coming to win, not just to earn a payday -- but he doesn't sound convincing.

He doesn't have to convince anyone he's in shape, because that's obvious from looking at his chiseled physique.

But as the thousands of British fans who have descended upon Las Vegas have learned the hard way through Frank Bruno, a chiseled physique guarantees only that you'll look good while supine.

Don't expect Urango to wind up on his back, but don't expect an upset, either. He's a tough kid, but his style is Hatton's style. Hatton has the better chin, the shiftier feet and the wider assortment of punches.

Hatton is no Floyd Mayweather Jr., but he insists his boxing skills are underrated.

"It wouldn't make sense to box Floyd," Hatton said, "but ... "

But, he should have added, Urango is no Mayweather. Urango will be in front of him all night, relentlessly pressing forward while absorbing more and more punishment.

"I can box from distance if need be," said Hatton (41-0, 30 KOs). "But I usually don't take too many backward steps. Neither does Juan. This will be my kind of a fight."

After a while, that's going to take its toll on Urango.

It's clearly Ricky Hatton's show, even though he went to great pains to apologize to Urango for any slights when, breaking from boxing protocol, the champion was asked to speak first at Thursday's news conference.

Urango insisted he took no offense, though maybe it would have been nice to see fire from him.

He, you can bet, will see fire from Hatton. The challenger will be fighting his fourth consecutive world champion -- he has disposed of Kostya Tszyu, Carlos Maussa and Luis Collazo in his previous three outings -- and said, "I've got no need for those handpicked mandatories."

His trainer, Billy Graham, scoffed at the notion that Hatton has anything yet to prove.

"Those of you who are doubting him, you won't be for much longer," Graham said.

Hatton is far too smart to be drawn into a war of words with Mayweather. Hatton has enough of an ego to believe he could defeat the man most consider the world's best, and he has a unique way of getting his point across.

But he has become beloved in his homeland -- and now in Las Vegas -- by walking the fine line between confidence and bragging.

He gives Mayweather the credit due his vast skills but suggests Mayweather could never stir the passion in fans the way some fighters (notably Hatton) do.

"If you've seen Floyd once, you've seen him a million times," Hatton said. "Nothing changes. All his fights are the same. They're a bit like watching chess, I'd say. Chess is a great game, mind you, but I'd rather watch a fight."

Ricky Hatton is going to give 7,000 or so of his closest friends a fight tonight at Paris Las Vegas. Perhaps that's why Juan Urango looks so worried.

Kevin Iole's boxing column is published Saturday. He can be reached at 396-4428 or [email protected].

[Doc_Piptorious]

Interesting piece. Seems the writer has pretty much written Urango off as well. Seems to me that the great unwashed are expecting a similar fight to the Calzaghe-Lacy one, in terms of a one way battle.

I hope Hatton does not share the attitude of the writer, that all he has to do is turn up to win. I really despise the ignorance shown to and about fighters at times. It shows a total lack of respect. The same press would shred Hatton if he does not put in a performance tonight or if he were to get beat.

[kurtangle01]

Interesting piece. Seems the writer has pretty much written Urango off as well. Seems to me that the great unwashed are expecting a similar fight to the Calzaghe-Lacy one, in terms of a one way battle.

I hope Hatton does not share the attitude of the writer, that all he has to do is turn up to win. I really despise the ignorance shown to and about fighters at times. It shows a total lack of respect. The same press would shred Hatton if he does not put in a performance tonight or if he were to get beat.

It seems easy for writers to write off an unknown fighter but I think that this article, despite being well written, is way off how the fight will go. I really want Hatton to win but in boxing everyone has a punchers chance whether they're world class or not. Urango is huge and I'm sure he'll have a good punch on him and I expect him to cause Ricky problems. I'm also certain that Hatton wont undermine Urango. He did that with Collazo and almost got caught out so I think that he'll be well prepared for this one.

I hope that he's well prepared any way.

[kurtangle01]

http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,12-1248155,00.html

Ricky Hatton weighed in at 9 stone 13 lbs for Saturday's IBF light-welterweight fight against Juan Urango.

Hatton, wearing a pair of Union Jack underpants, was cheered on by almost 1,000 fans at the Palace Casino in Las Vegas.

Champion Urango also weighed in at 9 stone 13 lbs, just 1lb inside the light-welterweight limit of 10 stone.

"I am really proud to be here and to get this sort of reception," said Hatton, who has been criticised in the build-up for his tendancy to let his weight balloon between fights.

"This belt is definitely coming back home with me."

Hatton put in some hard training to get himself in prime condition and he is even willing to forego his traditional pre-fight full English breakfast.

"I don't want to upset the Americans but nobody does the English breakfast like the English," he said.

"I want my bacon and sausage but over here it is just not the same.

"I have been through 12 weeks of training and eaten all the right stuff but now I am sick of all the pasta and vegetables and I can't wait to get a bit of grease back in my body."

[Doc_Piptorious]

Sounds like Hatton is coming in focused on the job. Should be a cracker. One of those fights that I will have nothing but praise for the winner, as both fighters are taking on a tough sod. Although Juan will never have met a fighter as good as Hatton.

[Marky]

Sorry lads bit off topic but what time does this fight start do you know?

[Doc_Piptorious]

Sorry lads bit off topic but what time does this fight start do you know?

between 4 and 5am.

[kurtangle01]

Sorry lads bit off topic but what time does this fight start do you know?

Probably about 4ish...

There's plenty of good quality fights to keep you interested before then though.

[kurtangle01]

I can't wait now. We beat the chavs today and now all I need is a Hatton win and it'll have been a great weekend!