LAS VEGAS – Ricky Hatton’s band and loud corps of fans were back at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday, but this time, they had something to cheer about.
Hatton, fighting in the very ring where nearly a year earlier he had been stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in one of 2007’s biggest fights, clearly outclassed Paulie Malignaggi to retain the Ring Magazine super lightweight title.
With Hatton going for a finish, Malignaggi trainer Buddy McGirt jumped in to stop the bout at 28 seconds of the 11th round.
Malignaggi’s jab was effective when he used it, but he didn’t use it nearly enough. The result was that Hatton was able to bore forward and pummel the Brooklyn, N.Y., native with hard, punishing shots.
Hatton used his own jab to work his way in, where he was clearly the stronger fighter and would repeatedly rake Malignaggi with clean right hands.
Hatton’s right hand nearly dumped Malignaggi on his pants in the second and was an effective weapon for him the rest of the night. Malignaggi had complained prior to the fight about Hatton’s propensity to hold, but after the second round, it was Malignaggi who was hanging on in an effort to slow down Hatton’s onslaught.
Hatton showed a diversified attack in perhaps his best performance since he burst into prominence with a one-sided victory over Kostya Tszyu in 2005. Malignaggi face was a mass of welts and bruises by the sixth round and he was never really in the fight after the early stages.
Hatton, who may be in line for a 2009 bout with Oscar De La Hoya, was relentless and unmerciful in his pursuit of the finish.
Hatton, fighting in the very ring where nearly a year earlier he had been stopped in the 10th round by Floyd Mayweather Jr. in one of 2007’s biggest fights, clearly outclassed Paulie Malignaggi to retain the Ring Magazine super lightweight title.
With Hatton going for a finish, Malignaggi trainer Buddy McGirt jumped in to stop the bout at 28 seconds of the 11th round.
Malignaggi’s jab was effective when he used it, but he didn’t use it nearly enough. The result was that Hatton was able to bore forward and pummel the Brooklyn, N.Y., native with hard, punishing shots.
Hatton used his own jab to work his way in, where he was clearly the stronger fighter and would repeatedly rake Malignaggi with clean right hands.
Hatton’s right hand nearly dumped Malignaggi on his pants in the second and was an effective weapon for him the rest of the night. Malignaggi had complained prior to the fight about Hatton’s propensity to hold, but after the second round, it was Malignaggi who was hanging on in an effort to slow down Hatton’s onslaught.
Hatton showed a diversified attack in perhaps his best performance since he burst into prominence with a one-sided victory over Kostya Tszyu in 2005. Malignaggi face was a mass of welts and bruises by the sixth round and he was never really in the fight after the early stages.
Hatton, who may be in line for a 2009 bout with Oscar De La Hoya, was relentless and unmerciful in his pursuit of the finish.
