 Hatton has had four fights outside the UK |
Roger Mayweather, trainer of new light welterweight contender Floyd Mayweather, says Britain's Ricky Hatton would get "blitzed" in America. According to Roger Mayweather, Hatton turned down a fight with the two-weight world champion, who makes his 140lb debut against Demarcus Corley in May.
And Roger Mayweather believes Hatton would be defeated by any number of fighters on American soil.
"He's nothing," he said. "In America he wouldn't make the top 10."
"If Hatton came over the water he'd get whupped by (Miguel Angel) Cotto, (Vivian) Harris and Floyd Mayweather.
"He can only fight in front of his own crowd - in America he'd be an ordinary Joe Blow.
"Like Prince Naseem, he's only good as long as he stays in England.
 | WBC light welterweight rankings c Kostya Tszyu (Aus) Int. Arturo Gatti (Can) 1 Leonard Dorin (Rom) 2 Gianluca Branco (Ita) 3 Paul Spadafora (US) 4 Ricky Hatton (UK) 5 Miguel Angel Cotto (PR) |
"He ain't smart enough, he's been fighting journeymen and old guys. He's one-dimensional.
"Frank Warren (Hatton's promoter) knows he's got an 'in-house racehorse' - a guy who wins all the time as long as he's running the show."
Hatton made the 12th defence of his lightly-regarded WBU crown against Dennis Holbaek Pedersen in Manchester on Saturday night.
And after the fight Warren revealed he is looking for a big name to meet Hatton on 5 June.
Interim IBF champion Sharmba Mitchell, who outpointed fellow American Michael Stewart on the Hatton undercard, is a possibility.
But Roger Mayweather, himself a former world champion at two weights, believes the division's future lies with his nephew Floyd.
 Both Mayweathers are former two-weight world champions |
"Floyd would beat (undisputed champion) Kostya Tszyu. When I fought Tszyu (in 1995) he was easy.
"He ain't got a lick of head movement and he never hit me clean. He's now 35 and there's no way he'll lick Floyd in Floyd's prime.
"He's a throwback to the old-time guys, he has pride and he works hard. He's been undefeated for seven years and he fights to put a stamp on his legend."
Floyd Mayweather is set to fight interim WBC champion Arturo Gatti if he overcomes Corley in May, but Roger Mayweather doubts whether the fight will take place.
"Floyd will be the mandatory contender for Gatti, but I guarantee you Gatti will not honour his HBO contract. Hatton should have fought Gatti because Gatti's nothing either."
Meanwhile, South Africa's Lovemore N'Dou has launched a stinging attack on Hatton claiming he offered to take the place of Kelson Pinto after the Brazilian's withdrawal last Saturday. Like Roger Mayweather, N'Dou (37-6-1) accused Hatton of running scared of top-class opposition and questioned whether he really intends to fight Sharmba Mitchell.
"Mitchell will go into the 'too hard' basket with me. Why don't you get on the phone to the IBF to see if we can't fight for the number one position? How long before the UK public wake up?"
Mitchell claimed the interim IBF light welterweight title with a hard-fought points win over N'Dou in February.
MMIX
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