-Photo Credit: D M Warr/DKP-
Most expectations at this precinct, pretty much
played out in last noche’s Collazo-Hatton squabble
for the WBA version of the welterweight bauble - as
in the usual ugliness when taller southpaw meets
shorter orthodox at center stage.
Yes, they both gave 100% … Hatton in a hurry out of
the corner in the opening stanza, catches the
seemingly tentative defending champ with a left-hook
and it’s a 10-8 head start for the Manchester
"Hitman."
The knockdown was picture perfect clean albeit of
the flash variety with Collazo more surprised than
in trouble - still, he opts to go the "turtle" route
over the entire three minutes - not too brilliant.
The Brooklyn native comes alive in stanza two of a
back and forth action round, and proves competitive
in a grueling battle of wills.
It would eventually go nip-n-tuck over the
championship rounds of 10-11-12 with Hatton
snatching ten and eleven before Collazo grabs the
final stanza with display of power punching.
Then the scorecards with all three judges having it
unanimous for the new WBA champion, Hatton 115-112,
114-113, 115-112 - my unofficial saw it Hatton
114-113 in points, but, ironically, under the
yesterday round by round method I had it a standoff
six-six in rounds. A result that would have had
Collazo retaining the WBA prize.
Closing Comments: Was my first peek at Collazo -
enters at 26-1, 12 by KO - feel the resumé
emits a half-truth that the kid can’t punch. But
don’t tell that one to the gritty Manchester
"Hitman" who sampled enough right hooks and left
hand power punches to dispute that assumption.
To second guess the
honest effort put out by the Brooklyn southpaw, it
says here he should immediately dispatch the referee
help-seeking antics to the recycle bin. Wasted
damage control - and tactically, in afterthought, I
for one am convinced had Luis utilized all the
advantages of size, physical strength, and working
from the port side behind a stiff jab, it could well
have ended on a happy note.
Hatton ~ have
always felt the Brit with the banging style was
being denied recognition on this side of the big
pond. The "USA, USA, USA" Olympic style media chant
demeaned big wins over name fighters with graffiti
smearings of "over the hill" - and ludicrous
comments over his choice of working at home instead
of the big commute.
But enough on that -
no dummy this kid, got what he came for - A) welter
title B) a healthy taste of stepping up from jr.
welter to full welter. Think if opting to continue
at 147 the wise direction to go, in no special order
a Baldomir, Gatti, Judah route - and not tamper with
the Mayweather, Margarito clientele.
Post Scripts : The fool in
charge of the action - masquerading as ring official
- oversized stumbling, bumbling class idiot John
Zablocki should be docked the entire stipend on
grounds of impersonating a referee - and a huge fine
should include whoever the hack in charge is, that
gave jerky John the assignment.
Wired for effect, and
clueless on how to behave, he hindered what could
have been a more entertaining, and likely more
convincing finish regardless of whether it Collazo
or Hatton.
This lunatic, has zero
instinct or feel for the job - in one corner the
brawler type, who in style opts for the in the
trenches game, facing a bigger, physically stronger
guy, that works from the port side - translation
ugly affair coupled with suspense and drama.
In last noche’s battle for
the time share welter trophy the instant the bodies
came together there's on the job Johnny shouting for
a break - at times when one or the other was tossing
a punch.
So what we get from Mr.
Clean, is a screwing up of a high mass while
insisting on a sanitized amateur keep it clean
thing. Not understanding styles making fights, or
styles in this type of pairing make for patience on
part of referee, but more importantly common sense.
Big bad John has neither.
GEL
5-13-06
Questions? Comments? Email
George Elsasser
