Ricky Hatton remembers: Matthew Macklin on the epic Floyd Mayweather and Kostya Tszyu Fights | Boxing news

World title challenger and Sky Sports“Computer science Matthew Macklin was part of the Ricky Hatton camp. He shares his memories of the trip …

A phenomenal phenomenal fighter, also a guy. I am sad and shocked and my heart goes to his family. I can only imagine what they feel.

It was well documented that he lived in life, but he trained as hard as anyone with whom I was at the gymnasium. A real professional when he was in training. Director, everything … he did everything perfectly.

He had a large boxing brain, I think, a set of very underestimated skills. Everyone knew that he was a formidable body punch, very strong, but he was a fantastic boxer when he needed to be too.

There were fights he won when he could probably have retired, he was sick. I remember the fight of Juan Urango, he should probably really withdraw. It was a fight for the world title, it was its debut in Las Vegas, a lot of pressure on, and it crossed it.

Even Manny Pacquiao's fight: with hindsight, he should probably have to withdraw from this fight, training did not go well. But he didn't do it. He asked him. He traveled the walk in every sense of the word.

A great fighter to be there also, the way he managed the pressure, the way in which he managed all media obligations.

He was also a character. So funny, a joker in the gymnasium. Boxing is a difficult game and a solitary game, but when you have characters like Ricky in the gymnasium with you, sharing laughter and sharing the trip, that makes a joy every day, really, as opposed to difficulties.

Kostya Tszyu … It was one of the special nights in the history of British boxing. Certainly in my time, it was THE night.

It was late at night because he had to suit us on television at great listening hours, men wrapped in Manchester, Kostya Tszyu, an excellent big who had already cemented his heritage.

Few people have given Ricky Hatton a chance in this fight. Even the people who knew Ricky were the real deal and believed in him and thought he was world class, I don't think they thought he was good enough to beat a legend, a big one of all time like Kostya Tszyu.

But it was his night, he was not going to be refused and he made a war of attrition. He jumped on Kostya Tszyu. He did not give him the room or the hour. He dragged her into Ricky Hatton's fight, nearby and tenacious neighborhoods. It was fierce, it was exhausting and finally he wanted it anymore.

It was his time and he had 20,000 fans inside this arena wanted him with each punch. At that time, I was very close to Ricky, we trained together, I was part of his team and my point of view as a young fighter, just to absorb this experience and learn, it was incredible.

For Floyd Mayweather's fight in Las Vegas, it was chaos, in the right direction. I remember some of the blackjack dealers, they said that they were 30, 40 years old and that they had never seen anything like it. They couldn't believe it, support, noise was unreal.

He failed against Mayweather but he pushed Mayweather. It was probably one of Mayweather's best performance. Ricky took out the best of Mayweather with his assault and what he brought to battle. And it was Prime Mayweather.

He had a link with his fans, perhaps more than before or since then. He really kissed everything. He never forgot his roots, he was really a man of the people.

And it's not easy when you are so famous and everyone wants a piece of you. But he has always tried to make sure he never forgot, he has always taken time for people. I think he really enjoyed. He was really grateful and never forgot that.