Hatton vs. Mayweather - Strengths and weaknesses

By Mark Staniforth Special to PA SportsTicker

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Hatton admits he struggled in his only previous contest at the 147lbs limit against Luis Collazo last year, and said he would only move up again for a mega-fight. Despite much more thorough preparations this time around, it remains likely that natural 140lb fighter Hatton would always struggle in contests against world-class, fully-blown welterweights.

He has won a world title at light-middleweight, but Mayweather is no natural 147-pounderer like Collazo. In fact, he won his first world title at super-featherweight. In addition, Mayweather’s slippery skills are hardly conducive to the prospect of Hatton feeling the effects of too much relentless power from a heavier man. The importance of weight in this fight is vastly overplayed.

Advantage: Even

POWER

Mayweather might have floored a weight-drained Diego Corrales five times in their fight, but concussive punching power is not high on the list of the Pretty Boy’s most persuasive qualities.

He was never going to put away the naturally bigger Oscar De La Hoya, but it remains a fact that Mayweather’s only stoppage wins in the last four years have come against indisputably fast-fading fighters.

Hatton carries a more powerful reputation, enhanced by the chilling liver shot which put away Jose Luis Castillo in his last fight. But by the same token, he failed to put away either Collazo or the granite-chinned Juan Urango.

Hatton’s ability to fling accurate body shots is where his real chance lies in this respect. Even Mayweather would surely gasp at the sort of shot which did for Castillo. The problem is, Hatton has to catch him first.

Advantage: Hatton

SPEED

Even the fast and furious Hatton will have to go some to match the striking speed of Mayweather, whose snappy right hand brings with it the virtual guarantee of rounds scored in his favor.

Mayweather counts on that natural speed to remain elusive and keep his opponents at arm’s length a policy which, if successful against Hatton, will almost certainly ensure a points win for the favorite.

However, he will not yet have come up against as determined and durable a foe as Hatton. The Manchester man will not stop swarming forward and flinging all kinds of shots from all angles.

It is his lightning speed up close, allied with an ability to make split-second shot selections, which has played a pivotal role in Hatton’s success to date - and will make or break his big-fight chances.

Advantage: Mayweather

STAMINA

Stamina could prove to be the most crucial aspect of this fight, which is likely to stretch to points and will therefore reward the man who can best maintain his pace from the first bell to the last.

Questions were raised over Hatton’s ability to last the pace during his win over Juan Urango, but he put his slight fading down to a virus and is sure to be better prepared than ever to come face to face with Mayweather.

Mayweather may seem to have proved his stamina levels time and again but his slippery style has enabled him to coast through countless rounds, and that is a luxury Hatton will not afford him.

Hatton’s effort will have to be simply Herculean if he is going to pile on enough pressure to win enough rounds. Mayweather’s style is less taxing on the body, and that could be the crucial difference.

Advantage: Mayweather

VERSATILITY

Mayweather has frequently trashed Hatton’s fighting style, insisting he can only fight one way - coming forward with his head low and flinging as many punches as possible from all angles.

Hatton, on the other hand, claims Mayweather can only fight on the back foot, and that his biggest problem is not going to be about how to fight his opponent but how to catch him in the first place.

Of course, the verbal bluster surely masks a great respect between the two men.

Mayweather’s skills are dazzlingly adaptable, whether coming forward or going back, while Hatton’s constant pressure belies a sharp boxing brain.

Advantage: Even

TACTICS

If Mayweather truly believes Hatton fits the bill of his previous come-forward conquests like the scrappy punchbag Arturo Gatti or the one-dimensional Carlos Baldomir, he is in for a rude awakening.

Hatton is undoubtedly the current boxer best equipped to dethrone Mayweather. He will work cleverly up close and seize every opportunity to go to the body and try and hustle and harry the champion out of his rhythm.

Mayweather, on the other hand, must dream of another fight fought on the back foot at arm’s length - for that is the kind of fight the American simply cannot lose.

That clash of intentions is what makes this fight such an intriguing prospect. It is a far more difficult fight to forecast than many of Mayweather’s biggest supporters would have you believe.