In December of 2007, Floyd Mayweather took on Ricky Hatton for the WBC and Ring Welterweight titles. Both men were undefeated at the time: Mayweather 39-0, Hatton 43-0. It was a superfight, a “battle of the century,” if you will.
Yada, yada, yada, Mayweather went on to win in the 10th round by TKO when Hatton’s corner threw in the towel. Many thought Joe Cortez was derelict in his duty as a referee, refusing to stop the fight earlier.
The men went in different paths after the bout. Mayweather “retired” from boxing six months later, and Hatton defeated Juan Lazcano to get back in the win column.
In a recently released autobiography, Hatton talks about an incident leading up to the fight and tells a story about Mayweather that’s about as Mayweather as it gets. The two fighters were traveling in separate planes for a promotional event in New York.
Then, this happened:
A few minutes into the the journey, we’re chatting away, having a drink when the pilot gestures to me to come forward. ‘Hey Ricky, listen to this idiot.’
He turns on the speaker and over the radio I hear Floyd arguing with the pilot of his plane behind: “I’m not letting that motherf—er get there before me, f—ing overtake them!”
“We can’t do that, Sir.”
“Overtake that motherf*cker – I’m the champ! I’ve got to get to New York first. I’ll pay whatever you want.”
I totally believe this story. You should, too.
