Muhammad Ali once said; “I never thought of losing, but now that it’s happened. The only thing is to do it right. That’s my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.”

Probably the most fitting of lines to sum up Ricky Hatton at the moment. After the huge high-profile loss to Floyd Mayweather Jnr in Vegas at the end of last year, Hatton has got back in the ring to put yet another victory under his belt against Juan Lazcano.

'Many people have questioned Hatton's sanity for calling for a rematch and claimed that he has a death wish'


Hatton was the winner with a convincing victory on points in a fight in which he dominated from start to finish, with only a few short scares from the tough and defiant Lazcano. All this fight has done is to add to the calls of a rematch between the Mancunian and Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather Jnr.

It won’t happen for some time, as Mayweather already has a scheduled rematch with Oscar De La Hoya in September whilst Hatton takes on Paulie Malignalli in November.

Golden Boy, De La Hoya’s company that does the promoting of Hatton’s fights, claims that he will need three victories to gain more credibility before gaining the rematch. With his first already done and dusted, and Hatton being favourite for the fight with Malignalli, it leaves him needing only one more fight in order to maybe get a late-2008/early 2009 rematch with the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Many people have questioned Hatton’s sanity for calling for the rematch and claimed that he has a death wish after the beating he took at the hands of the American last December. He was cut in the third, battered in the fourth and docked a point in the sixth round, but this should only give Hatton more heart in seeking the rematch. He has never been one to shy away from the big fights and none will be bigger than this.

Hatton, having suffering the defeat to Mayweather at welterweight should try his utmost to get the rematch at light welterweight, where he knows his strength will make up for his lack of speed as his strength is negated at the higher weight.

It wasn’t his first bout at welterweight after winning the WBA Crown from Luis Collazo in 2006, but even after a very strong start, knocking Collazo down in the very first few seconds, this became one of the toughest fights of his career in which some fans and pundits claim he lost.

If he hopes to beat Mayweather, then he needs to stick to the light-welterweight where he knows he is the best and needs to keep the courage and the passion that makes him not only Manchester’s but one of Britain’s favourite sons. The second bout could even possibly be held in the UK, which would provide Hatton with all the inspiration and support he would need to not only avoid a beating at the hands of the American, but maybe, possibly go on to win what would most definitely be the biggest fight of his career.

To further quote Muhammad Ali; “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will achieve nothing in life.”