Big Fight Boxing Betting: Ricky Hatton v Juan Lazcano

Boxing Betting / Editor / 14 May 2008 / Leave a Comment

Alex Steedman runs through the odds ahead of Ricky 'The Hitman' Hatton's UK re-appearance

There hasn't been much to cheer fans of Manchester City in recent weeks, that 8-1 hammering at Middlesboro the undertaker's final sneer at the 'Defenders of Sven'. But one of their most ardent followers - a certain Richard Hatton - will be keen to redress the balance on Saturday 24th when the prodigal son returns to Eastlands.

'The homecoming' is an event Hatton has long dreamed of, if not quite against an opponent that most British fans have longed for. Indeed, barely can you mention 'The Hitman' without muttering the name of domestic rival Junior Witter in the same breath.

But Witter's surprise World Title defeat to Timothy Bradley recently makes that exhausted debate almost redundant now and you just know Hatton wet his pants laughing at Witter's demise. That defeat may be British boxing's loss but in Juan Lazcano, Hatton has an opponent almost certain to make him look great in a fight that ought to catch fire.

Lazcano, 'The Hispanic creating panic,' certainly lived up to his name between 2000 and 2004 as he cut a swathe through the lightweight division, stopping nine opponents in succession en route to a World Title fight against then star Jose Luis Castillo. Castillo, you'll recall, made Floyd Mayweather Jnr work hard in two distance fights but was destroyed by Hatton last year, courtesy of one of the best body shots ever thrown. In truth, at top level, Lazcano has been Mexican't.

Following the Castillo fight, Lazcano stepped up to Hatton's light-welterweight division and won four on the spin until narrowly losing to Vivian Harris on points last February. Harris was sparked by Witter in September so you get the drift; this really ought to be Hatton v Witter. But Lazcano doesn't have Witter's punch nor his frustrating nuances; he's a come forward fighter who throws his punches in tidy clusters but having campaigned most of his career at lightweight, Lazcano is not big enough to carry out that strategy against a bullying 10 stone fighter like Hatton. At [1.14] to back Hatton is prohibitively priced but he will win, it's just a question of how.

Those interested in backing Hatton on points at [2.56] will be heartened to hear that Lazcano has only been stopped once in a four defeat career and that was 10 years ago. He has a decent chin and Hatton isn't renowned as a concussive puncher, save for the highlight reel K/O's of Carlos Maussa and Castillo.

Intense pressure, body punching and cumulative damage is Hatton's game and therefore late stoppages more likely. The problem is, Lazcano is a top 10 fighter up against a genuine World Champion -a pound for pound list operator - and such will be the likely weight/strength differential come fight night that an early Hatton win is not entirely ridiculous. Still, if pushed on a choice between the rounds 1-6 or 7-12 market, I would be inclined to punt on the latter.

Those hell bent on a Hatton stoppage win must consider his recent and only career defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jnr. Will that have any bearing on the way this fight develops?

Certainly mental fortitude has always been a Hatton strength but you never know how a fighter will react to defeat, even though it was against Boxing's elite fighter. More pertinent is the spectre of defeat which would cause financial carnage to the Hatton money-making road show. If he were to be embroiled in an unlikely struggle, Hatton winning on points would be far less ruinous than a loss and he did grind it out when fighting through a head cold against Juan Urango. That said, I still expect Hatton to sparkle.

Just imagine his mindset; fighting at Manchester City' Eastlands before a home crowd of 50,000 plus, back down to his hunting zone of 140 lbs against a straightforward and inferior opponent and Junior Witter just lost his WBC belt. Believe me, Hatton will be in great form and ready to do a number on Lazcano. Junior probably won't be watching but plenty of others will and I expect them to see the Hitman look sensational in becoming only the second man to halt Juan Lazcano, by late stoppage.

Big Fight Selections:

Hatton to win R8, R9, R10 [13.0], [14.0], [15.0]