I had my money on the underdog Ricky Hatton…I didn’t think he was a favorite to win by any means, but I figured that Mayweather might let him fight a fight where he could win. As such, I thought +190 was a good line.
And I still do. If I was in the same position to make the same decision, I very likely would again… because Floyd Mayweather DID let Hatton fight that fight.
But Floyd Mayweather is also flat-out fucking great. He knew he could stick-and-move in the center of the ring, but that style would not wear Hatton out. Letting Hatton fight through constant tie-ups and elbows and forearms would. Mayweather’s camp obviously knew as well that Joe Cortez wouldn’t punish Mayweather for matching Hatton grab-for-grab…there were two rounds where Floyd threw more elbows than punches, without a word in edgewise.
When it came time to finish, he finished it clean, crisp, and without letting Hatton get his momentum back.
This was Mayweather’s best performance in at least three years, and if this is the end of his career, it’s a much better way to go out than after the half-hearted sparring session with Oscar De La Hoya.