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British boxing hero Ricky Hatton beat American motormouth Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Here, the “Hitman” talks passionately to Vision Sport about one of the biggest influences on his career, the great Muhammad Ali.

 

 

 

“I have clear memories as a young lad seeing this amazing character on the telly shooting his mouth off, taking the mickey, and just acting like a total clown. But he was fascinating and he had this total aura of confidence about him. I didn’t know who he was and it was my dad who told me he was a boxer called Muhammad Ali - the best boxer the world had ever seen. I really liked the guy because he was so in your face and funny.

The showman

“I’m too young to have seen the fights live but there were loads of documentaries and videos about him and they made a big impression on me as a kid. I was more aware of him as a personality than as a fighter at first because he was always promoting his fights and a lot of the programmes were more about him outside of the ring then inside it. He loved being in the spotlight and he panicked that people wouldn’t turn up to see the bouts, which is why he got involved in all the antics.

“Some people think he was a bit nasty, especially because of the things he said about Joe Frazier, but it was all just an act. He respected the blokes that were going to fight him because he knew what it takes to step inside those ropes. The fact was that he just wanted to put on a show.

Bear baiting

“I really couldn’t tell you the first Ali fight I saw, but I’ve seen them all now and there are some fights I’ve watched again and again. The early tear-ups with Sonny Liston are incredible because at the time Liston was this huge monster that scared everyone.

“They used to call Liston ‘The Bear’ and he was like Mike Tyson became later. He was a terrifying character and you had Ali messing about, taking the p**s. There’s film of him in dark glasses pretending to spy on Liston while he trains.

“But when you see the fights you see how fearless Ali was. He could also wind himself up and get so hyper that he scared the pants of people. When Liston was knocked down he said he didn’t get up because he thought Ali was mad.

“That sort of thing changed boxing forever. He was trying to make it more fun and show people that boxers have personalities and weren’t just these big lumps that smashed each other around in the ring. He opened the door for other fighters to become entertainers as well.

On the line

“The great Ali fights, like the Rumble in the Jungle and the Thrilla in Manila are sporting moments that everyone knows. They are boxing matches, but they are more than that. They’re about these blokes who are putting everything on the line.

“Nobody gave Ali a chance in the Rumble against George Foreman because he’d struggled against Frazier and Ken Norton, both fighters that Foreman had floored in the second round. Everyone thought it was a death sentence for Ali.

“But Ali showed how clever he was. You could hit Foreman with a shovel and he wouldn’t go down, so Ali did his rope-a-dope act and let Foreman tire himself out. In the end Foreman was so knackered he could hold his mitts up and Ali spanked him with a combination and the fight was over.

“One of the great things about Ali was that he could adapt his tactics during a fight. He’d thrown everything he had at Foreman in the first couple of rounds and when he realised that wasn’t going to do the trick. It was dangerous because Foreman could hit harder than anyone.

“The trilogy of fights with Frazier that ended with Ali winning in Manila are just fantastic. They had a rivalry that everyone got involved in. They were massive battles and Ali said after the Thrilla that it was the closest to death he’d ever felt. These are great boxers, fighting for the biggest title in the world and with huge pride.

For the love

“What some people don’t realise is that Ali loved fighting. It wasn’t just something he did to make a buck or two. He lived for the big fights and when he was in the ring he was at his happiest. I know that feeling.

“It was guys like Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn that inspired me to box in the first place but once I did start I looked at Ali and the way he fought because you want to learn from the best. His speed and movement were fantastic and he could also hit harder than people realise. He had great technique and that is a big part of being able to hit hard.

“He was a natural athlete and there were things about the way he could move and anticipate shots that you just can’t learn. But he also trained really hard, especially in his younger days. He respected his opponents’ abilities and he put that respect into his training.

“He had a great boxing brain and he could get inside his opponents’ minds. Most of the things he said were just for PR, but they also showed such confidence that some fighters were beaten before the bell went.

Learning from the master

“On the surface my style might not be that similar to Ali’s but there are a number of things I’ve taken from him. I’ve worked on my speed and movement and ways of slipping punches. I’ve also done a lot of work on my punching technique which has helped give me a big, big punch.

“I would never make the sort of predictions that Ali made, saying what round he was going to finish a fight. I think that would put too much pressure on you, but you have to admire the confidence of the man. Ali had no fear.

The entertainer

“Of course it’s not just as a boxer that Ali was an inspiration. The way he conducted himself and the things he stood up for are just as important. He was kind and generous and he fought for civil rights even when it cost him so much. He changed his name because of his beliefs. He refused to fight in Vietnam because he didn’t believe the war was right and because of that they threatened him with jail and took his title.

“Whenever you think about Ali it makes you want to raise your own game. He’s an inspiration to anyone in any walk of life.

“You do need characters in any sport, but possibly you need them more in boxing than in anything else. It’s a tough game but it should also be entertainment. Not everybody who’s going to watch a fight is necessarily into boxing, but they might like the boxer.

“If we want our sport to appeal to a wide range of people we need boxers who are entertaining blokes, who have a bit about them. You have to be honest, give value for money and put your heart and soul into it. There are a few guys like that around still and I’d like to think I was one of them.”

Catch Ali in action On Demand now:

Superfight: Marciano v Ali
Thrilla in Manilla: Ali v Frazier
Cassius Clay: The Early Years
Ringside: Muhammad Ali 

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Tags: Boxing, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Ricky Hatton, Sonny Liston

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