Hatton vs. Alvarez: Mexico vs. England Welterweight Up and Comers:
On Saturday, March 5, European Welterweight Champion Matthew Hatton will take on the talented, undefeated and thus far unchallenged, young Mexican fighter Saul Alvarez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Styles will collide on this evening as Hatton, a fundamentally sound boxer, goes up against Alvarez, a highly touted slugger who specializes in putting his opponents on the canvas.
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Matthew “Magic” Hatton
- European Welterweight Champion
- Manchester, United Kingdom
- 41-4-2 (16 KO’s)
- Last 5 Fights: Hatton has been victorious in his last 5 fights, aside from a draw against Lovemore N’dou (whom Alvarez recently defeated). Although Hatton is on a 4-fight winning streak, including a bout against Gianluco Branco in which he captured the EBU Welterweight Title, he’s only been exposed to mediocre, European level fighters as opposed to the best the world has to offer. The upcoming fight against Alvarez will give Hatton a chance to display his skills against one of the worlds best and most heavily hyped young welterweights.
Saul Alvarez
- WBC Silver Light Middleweight Champion
- Juanacatlán, Jalisco, Mexico
- 35-0 (26 KO’s)
- Last 5 Fights: Alvarez is quickly ascending to the top of the division and has notched impressive wins over well-established fighters such as Carlos Baldomir, Jose Miguel Cotto and Lovemore N’dou. All of these were not just wins, but decisive wins. At just 20 years old, Alvarez has already dispatched fighters with years more experience than him and hopes to continue to do this against Hatton.
Alvarez vs. Hatton Preview:
Both fighters are entering this fight at positive times in their respective careers. Hatton is fresh off of winning and defending his European Welterweight title and is eager to show the world that he is ready to take on a world-class fighter. Alvarez is continuing his destruction of the welterweight division and is gradually taking on (and defeating) more and more experienced and well-established fighters. Hatton is the more experienced professional of the two, yet he has the most to prove in this fight and will have more skeptics to silence than Alvarez, who is expected to expose Hatton to be nothing more than a mediocre fighter at the world class level.
Although on paper, Hatton is the “champion”, it is vice-versa in many ways. Hatton has had great success at the European level, but hasn’t had any victories over world-class fighters. He knows that he needs to take on a world-class fighter to prove that he is ready to be more than just one of the best European fighters. Fighting Alvarez will be a great way for him to prove this. The question is; does he have the tools to go up against someone as talented as Alvarez?
Hatton is a solid, technical boxer who doesn’t have a great deal of power, but can cause some damage to the body when he sets up his shots right. Alvarez is a young, energetic power puncher who will be looking to track Hatton down and destroy him using his one-punch knockout power. It’s quite evident that Hatton is a skilled boxer, but in this fight, his boxing skills won’t be the only things put to the test. His movement, his chin, and especially his defense will either be proven or exposed against a fighter as quick, talented and powerful as Alvarez.
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Alvarez vs. Hatton Prediction
Taking this fight was a bold move for Hatton and his promotional team. He had the options to defend his title against “safer” fighters, but instead decided to risk it to take on Alvarez. I respect Hatton for stepping up and taking on Alvarez, but he will be in way over his head in this contest.
Unless Hatton works hard on his defense in training, he will end up on the canvas in the middle to late rounds of the fight. I foresee this fight as a seek and destroy mission. Alvarez will be on the attack and in an offensive position most of the fight, while Hatton, overwhelmed by Alvarez’s power and ability to pick spots, will be simply trying to fend him off. Before the bell ends round 8, Hatton will have had too much, and Alvarez will continue his relentless ascent to the top of the sport: Alvarez def. Hatton via 8th round TKO.
