My pick for the upcoming Hatton-Tzyu fight and Tarver-Johnson fight.
Tom Donelson
May 31, 2005

Hatton and Tzyu

Conventional wisdom has Kostya Tzyu beating Ricky Hatton. And Conventional Wisdom has much going in its favor. Tzyu is one of the hardest punchers pound for pound and Hatton will be sitting in harms way of Tzyu right hand. Hatton cuts and Tzyu punches are sledgehammers that can open up a scared tissue boxer. Hatton has not fought a fighter in Tzyu’s class nor in an event of this magnitude.

So why do I pick Hatton to pull off the upset of the year? Tzyu is the better fighter but Tzyu is 35 years old, who has only fought 9 rounds in the last three years. He has not been in a war or in a fight that has gone the distance since he fought Ben Tackie three years ago. If Tzyu had not suffered his injuries or taken nearly two years off, Tzyu would be my favorite.

If Hatton survives the early rounds, then this fight becomes trench warfare and Hatton likes to fight in the trenches. The key to this fight is whether Tzyu stops Hatton early. Hatton has been the more active fighter and he is the kind of fighter that Tzyu has not fought- a swarmer who does not get discourage. Hatton is the more active fighter and he will not give Tzyu much breathing space. Hatton can stay inside the Tzyu power and Tzyu will not be able to extend his arm to punch.

There are those who state that Tzyu is bothered by the boxer but in his last two bouts against excellent boxers, Mitchell and Judah- he stopped them within three rounds. Tackie was Tzyu last tough fight and while Tzyu beat Tackie, so did Hatton. Hatton showed against Tackie that he could survive a war. Hatton wins a decision in his backyard (and being in England is another reason for the upset.) June 4th, the junior welterweight division will be turned upside down.

Tarver-Johnson

Glen Johnson had a great 2004. He beat three of the best light heavyweights in Clinton Wood, Roy Jones, Jr. and Antonio Tarver. He never fought better. In his next bout with Tarver, the real question is whether he can fight a fourth great fight in a row, not an easy task. Johnson has fought every top contender or champion over the past several years and Tarver is just yet another elite light heavyweight for Johnson to tangle with. After taking on the best for the past several years, how much is left in Johnson’s tank?

Tarver has lost three fights. His first two losses were avenged. He knocked out Eric Harding after Harding decision him in their first fight. He stopped the great Roy Jones after losing to Jones in their first fight. In his first fight against Jones, he allowed Jones to out hustle over the last two rounds to lose his light heavyweight title. He allowed Johnson to steal a couple of close rounds in a close fight. In his rematch, he has corrected whatever mistakes he made in his first encounter. Tarver has shown an ability to adapt in rematches.

Tarver will not repeat that mistake again against Johnson. Johnson fought as well as he could against Tarver and he doesn’t have much more room to improve. Tarver does. Tarver is the fighter who can still take it up a notch and on June 18th, he will regain his title in a close decision to reverse his previous lost.