Ricky Hatton reviews Usyk-Fury 2 and urges Fury to fight Joshua next
Ricky Hatton reviews Fury-Usyk 2 and urges Tyson to finally fight AJ
British boxing legend and close friend of Tyson Fury, Ricky Hatton, has spoken out about who he thought was the rightful winner of the rematch between Fury and Usyk in December last year.
The two-weight world champion from Manchester reviewed the rematch from Riyadh and also looked ahead at what he believes Tyson should do next in his boxing career.
Hatton spoke to Vegas Insider below:
What did you make of Tyson Fury’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk?
"I thought Oleksandr Usyk just did enough to win again. Like the first fight, it was very similar so I can see why some people thought Tyson might have nicked it, whereas others thought Usyk had nicked it.
"But I think the higher percentage think the result was the right decision. Everyone has a different view of boxing and has a different style of fighting they prefer. The only way I can look at it is if I am judging a fight and there is nothing in it, then I’m going to give it to the person who tried a bit harder, and Usyk was putting more effort in and trying to win it.
"I know Tyson has a style which can be defensive and likes to switch and stuff like that, but Usyk went out to win the fight and Tyson went out to nick it. I’m giving Tyson a bit of a misjustice there because you watch Usyk and, as far as styles go, it’s not a massively exciting style but just what he does is absolutely class from a boxing perspective.
"To give away so much height, reach, and weight against someone as good as Tyson, who is a class act, and for Usyk to slip and slide, and his distance is just a joy to watch. Fighters like Usyk don’t come along too often.
"Tyson is probably coming to an end now and has seen better days. A few years ago, I would’ve put my money on Tyson to win, but he has a few miles on the clock. All of those fights years ago and that massive 10-stone weight loss before the Deontay Wilder trilogy have started to show for Tyson now."
Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua – can it still happen?
"Make the Anthony Joshua fight.
"In the heavyweight division, Daniel Dubois deserves a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk as he had hard lines last time, with controversy over the ending. Was it a low blow? Usyk took a full five minutes, which helped him, but the performance he did against Anthony Joshua, he deserves a rematch and has a right to challenge Usyk for the title.
"Let the two lads who won fight each other and the two fighters who lost fight each other. We’ve been waiting to see Tyson Fury fight Anthony Joshua for 10 years now, which is incredible. Tyson has had a great career; AJ has had a fantastic career, but both are showing signs of miles on the clock, but it’s a fight we have always wanted to see. You would still pay all day long to watch the fight.
"Let them fight each other and then I would like to see them both retire then as they have nothing more to prove, as a friend. If they have that last send-off fight, as we’ve all been waiting to see, they can then hang the gloves up and have done us proud."
Have you spoken to Tyson since the defeat?
"No, I haven’t spoken to him since the defeat. I have called him beforehand and messaged him to say good luck and then commiserations after.
"I think he would’ve been disappointed because I know how much his unbeaten record meant to him and the fact that he has now lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk will have hurt him.
"I’ve left him to it, but Tyson knows I’m behind him and have always been Team Tyson and very proud of him. When you see what Tyson has done when he was going through those bad times with his weight, addiction, and drugs, and I’ve been there myself and know how hard it is to come through, we didn’t think Tyson would fight again.
"Look at what he has done, never mind being beaten by Usyk, what he has done is absolutely astonishing. I’m very proud of him.
"He needs to fight AJ, you don’t want to be sat on your sofa in 20 years saying ‘what would’ve happened if I had boxed him?’ Get in there and get it done lads and then put your feet up and enjoy what you have worked so hard for."
Where should the fight take place?
"It should be in Britain. If you have a fight like that with two heavyweights at the top of the division from Great Britain, then I think it does need to be in the UK.
"There’s a lot of fights in Saudi and look at the job Turki Alalshikh has done for boxing with the big fights he has made, but look at the atmosphere at Wembley for Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua. Not just the fight, the build-up, and the whole occasion; no disrespect to Saudi, but this is where fights with two former heavyweight world champions from the UK should happen and there’s only one place and it’s in Britain."
Is Tyson favourite for the fight?
"It’s a tough one. I think it’s 50/50, I wouldn’t say either would be the favourite. AJ, the way he was in the corner even before he was knocked out, was a little bit casual, and I think he took Daniel Dubois lightly. He was that convinced before the fight, going into the fight, and even during the fight.
"He’s very laid back, so maybe I am giving him a bit of a disservice, but he did look like he thought he was the better man and just needed to turn up to beat Daniel. Whereas with Daniel’s mentality, when he was walking into the ring, I thought this fella is going to take some stopping. You could tell by the way he was talking to himself and walking into the ring with the look in his eyes.
"In the ring walk and during the fight, as well as in the fight, AJ was just a little casual, I know he is a laid-back type but I think he took the eye off the ball with Daniel and you can’t do something like that with Daniel."
