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[Alex Anderson]

140-pound kingpin Kostya Tszyu defends his title tonight against up-and-coming British fighter Ricky Hatton in Hatton's native England at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England. Hatton's been an exciting new fighter over the past few years and this is his first huge challenge. He throws and throws and throws and keeps moving forward, always making for a good TV fight. But he get hits a ton, so my only real worry is that Tszyu may be able to pick him apart early.

I've been looking forward to this one for a while. Watch!

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

For once I wish I had Showtime for boxing rather than HBO. This should be a very good fight to watch, although I'm picking Tszyu to win it.

 

[Wax Free Vanilla]

Not watching it instead i'm listening to the live BBC commentary feed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/live/live_int.asx

 

[BlackClouds]

Going to be a great fight, both are going at it really hard. It's about how tough Hatton is really...we'll see. First round was really good.

 

[Alex Anderson]

I can't believe the ref is letting Hatton get away with all this tangling on the inside. I certainly wasn't expecting the fight to be fought close like this, but it makes sense with Hatton wanting to neutralize Tszyu's countering. I wonder if Hatton can keep up this pace for 12 rounds.

 

[DaMan121]

Can someone explain why the heck they are fighting at 2am?

 

[Alyssa Hu$tle]

I love what Kostya said about Ricky before the match...
"Ricky is only 26, this lesson will be good for him. Sometimes it's good to loose against someone good. I hope sometime in the future he appreciates it"

HA! Go Kostya

4th round now, it's close, but betchya Kostya nails it.

 

[BlackClouds]

I don't know if Hatton goes to the body more...we'll see, close fight into the 8. Nobody's nut has cracked yet but the way they bang on each other, it might happen soon.

 

[Alex Anderson]

I have Hatton up 5 rounds to 3 after 8, but this is pretty tough to score. Who knows what the scorecards will look like with one judge from USA, France, and Spain.

*edit

Heh, and the Showtime press row judges all have Tszyu ahead by about a point.

 

[Alyssa Hu$tle]

I don't know if Hatton goes to the body more...we'll see, close fight into the 8. Nobody's nut has cracked yet but the way they bang on each other, it might happen soon.

Well it just happened now - did you see that? Man, that was a dog shot by Ricky.
But I don't mean the same "nut" you do.

 

[Alex Anderson]

I think Rick just cracked Kostya's nuts, BlackClouds. Damn that was blatant.

 

[Alex Anderson]

WTF? Tszyu doesn't come out for Round 12 O_O

 

[BlackClouds]

Wow...he ain't the great white hype anymore, he's the real deal, the pale wonder! hehehe. Great fight, I had Hatton leading into the 12th since he started to win most of the rounds towards the end with his pressure.

 

[Alyssa Hu$tle]

WTF???? Kostya.... what are you doing man?

 

[Trevelyon]

Tszyu had been breathing heavily since the 8th, he looked a little sloppy in 10th & 11th. I guess he just had nothing left. Hatton fought an absolutely sensational fight, just took it to Tszyu from round 1.

 

[The Chosen One]

There were a few too many clinches for my taste, but decent fight.

I'm really curious to see what the scorecards were. I don't understand why Tszyu just didn't push through the final round.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Finally the US knows the greatness of Hatton! I have been watching his fights for the last 5 years and loving every one of them. I was acutlly expecting him to KO Tszyu and I think he would have if he came out for the 12th!

The only problem is I have to pay to watch all his fight now! Damn him getting into the big time

 

[TheDrowningMan]

Finally the US knows the greatness of Hatton! I have been watching his fights for the last 5 years and loving every one of them. I was acutlly expecting him to KO Tszyu and I think he would have if he came out for the 12th!

The only problem is I have to pay to watch all his fight now! Damn him getting into the big time

Well, in Britain Frank Warren looks as though he'll be going to ITV so Hatton may reach an even wider audience soon.... Whether or not Sky will now come up with a last ditch megabucks deal to stop that is another matter....

Great win for Ricky last night....I thought he'd be stopped and am delighted to be wrong. Tszyu's jaw is broken, apparently.

 

[TheDrowningMan]

There were a few too many clinches for my taste, but decent fight.

I'm really curious to see what the scorecards were. I don't understand why Tszyu just didn't push through the final round.

Scorecards at the time of the stoppage were....

Judge: Manuel Maritxalar 105-104 | Judge: Alfred Asaro 106-103 | Judge: Don Ackerman 107-102

....all for Hatton.

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Congrats to Hatton. All hail the new Champ! I thought Tszyu would take it in a hard fought fight, but the younger man seems to have taken the fight to him. It's surprising that a champ like Tszyu couldn't answer the bell for one more round. Hopefully Hatton will have a long, successful reign as champ.