McGirt Saves Malignaggi from the Inevitable
Hatton Looks to Winner DeLaHoya / Pacquaio
By: Jason Sardelis
November 22nd, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada: In front of Britain’s greatest sport star David Beckham, Ricky “Hitman” Hatton 45-1, 32 Ko’s returned to the site of his only loss. A TKO stoppage, to the son of his new trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Hatton showed hints of being the new forecast fighter but he didn't change too much to get past Brooklyn’s tough Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi. The brash talking Malignaggi 25-1, 5 Ko’s had the same difficult time he had with his hood entering the ring as he did trying to answer to the Brit’s all out pressure attack. No matter what he did, Hatton like the hood was right in his face.
After a close opening round Hatton appeared more confident and patient demonstrating discipline in a fight wear holding or rough inside tactics were expected from him. Mayweather Sr. had clearly made a difference.
In the second round Hatton landed a good left hook / uppercut at 1:22 of the round. Then with 35 seconds to go in the round Hatton landed a big right hand buckling the new hair styled fighter. Hatton added a double short left hook while the two wrestled causing Malignaggi to hold on.
The third round brought on the patented Hatton body attack opened with some wild left hooks as Malignaggi ducked in low. Hatton landed some overhand rights answering the “Magic Mans” jab but never landed the big hook as Malignaggi selectively threw his right. Hatton most times got off first and like most fights last. Hatton’s new style was at no time more evident than in the eighth round when Malignaggi landed his best punch a straight right and the “Hitman” took in a roll and came on. The “Hitman” then slipped a Malignaggi jab countering with one of his own and a solid right uppercut hurting the game New Yorker.
In round nine Hatton continued his clean effective punching catching “The Magic Man” bringing out his tongue. The tenth round saw Hatton pressuring the “Magic Man” from Brooklyn who held on hoping Hatton would disappear. Between rounds trainer Buddy McGirt warned Malignaggi to fight or he may call it.
In round eleven Hatton jumped Malignaggi scoring big to the body with a double left hook downstairs when Malignaggi trainer McGirt called it from the corner at 0:48 of round eleven. Hatton looks to the winner of December’s DeLaHoya vs Pacquaio fight.
In the semi main event WBO Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight Champion Rey “Boom Boom” Batista 26-1, 19 Ko’s lost a unanimous decision to Heriberto Ruiz 39-7-2, 23 Ko’s 80-70, 78-72, and 77-73 in a surprising upset. Batista had won his last three, two by stoppage since losing to Ponce DeLeon last year while Ruiz was coming in off a decision loss to Eric Morel.
Paving the way for older brother Ricky, twenty seven year old, Matthew “Magic” Hatton, 35-4-1, 13 Ko’s kept Ghana’s 35 year-old Ben “Wonder” Tackie 29-11-1, 17 Ko’s at a distanced using the family hard-wearing body attack followed by a quick assault to the head out punching the game “Wonder” 2 to 1. Tackie, who beat Teddy Reid and Ray Oliviera, before losing Kostya Tszyu, Shamba Mitchell and the elder Hatton finished strong but could not close the gap. The judges scored the fight 98-92 times two and 97-93 Hatton. The fight gives the gallant Tackie his fifth straight loss while opening the doors for a big pay day for the “magical” younger Hatton.
