It's amazing what a couple of years can do for a fighter. If anyone would have told me in 2004, that Ricky Hatton would win the IBF and WBA light welterweight championships of the world, then jump up in weight to win the WBA welterweight world title as well, I would have been a tad surprised at the statement.

Since that unforgettable night in Manchester, when he hammered the Russian powerhouse Kostya Tszyu into submission, Ricky Hatton has surprised us all with the path he has chosen to take. Okay, the Maussa fight was a great choice on the way to unify the division, but to then jump up in weight and fight Luis Collazo, that was a shock, not only to the fans, but to Hatton himself. He just wasn't the 'Hitman' with the extra meat on his bones.

There is no doubt in my mind that for the first time in Hatton's boxing life, he was forced to think about the business of boxing instead of just 'doing the business' in the ring. Since that night in 2005, when he went to war with Tszyu, in the city of peace, Ricky Hatton has only fought on three occasions. Three successful wins on the rocky road to Jose Luis Castillo. Speaking of rocky roads, 'El Temible' has had his fair share of bumps on route to Hatton. Castillo fought his first nine years in the sweat soaked, beer and piss stained fight halls of Mexico, knocking out opponent after opponent, trying to survive on meager purses and broken promises along the way.

In 2000, he got his first shot at the big time and caused the upset of that year by beating 'Little' Stevie Johnson, to win the WBC lightweight world title, after 10 years as a fighter. After a few defenses, and little money, he took the challenge of Floyd Mayweather Jnr., but lost on points due to the combination punching of the extraordinary, 'Pretty Boy.'

From there on in, it was tough, hard fights all the way. Juan Lazcano, Joel Casamayor, were grueling fights, but nothing compared to what lay ahead for him with his brilliantly brutal epics with the late, great, Diego 'Chico' Corrales. Despite being stopped by Corrales in sensational, jaw dropping fashion, in their first fight, Castillo was catapulted into super stardom status and the fight was rated as 'one for the ages.'

The rematch with 'Chico' was not as brutal, but then again, how could it have been? No one expected it to be and not too many people gave Castillo a chance. 'El Temible' went away, trained hard, and studied Corrales and their first fight and came back with a game plan to beat him. Corrales was open to the left hook and I remember writing a story before the fight saying so. In the fight, Castillo hit Corrales with a punch perfect left hook that took the fight out of Corrales and knocked him out. It was some comeback and it was some punch. The two fighters had had enough of each other, but still, people wanted more.

I remember sitting on the plane from Sydney, looking out the window, and reliving the punishment they gave and received, and the rounds they fought, and I tried to understand how they could fight like that, and still want to come back for more. As we all know, they never did, and I was glad. I had traveled thousands of miles, and saved up the money to go back to Vegas, but when I saw Castillo on the scales at the weigh in, I thought 'please no,' Castillo couldn't lose any more weight. He was skin and bone, sinew and muscle, but most of all, he was 138 lbs. of heart, standing alone on that stage. Castillo was banned and given a hefty fine for not making the championship weight. People said he was unprofessional, and that he had no intention of making 135. I don't know about that. I know what I saw as his skeletal ribcage sucked in desperately as he raised his arms up high as if to try and lighten his load.

In 2006, he came back with a promise of a new 'El Temible' at the bigger weight, but like Hatton, he wasn't as formidable a fighter. For me, the 33 year old veteran warrior, Castillo hasn't got too much left as a fighter. As the Hatton thousands sing to 'Blue Moon' and the lights go down, I can only see one thing in my minds eye, Hatton lunging in on bouncy , unbelievably bouncy legs, jabbing, double jabbing, driving Castillo back to the ropes, lining him up, roughing him up, with referee, Joe Cortez pushing in, warning Hatton.

'The Hitman' shrugs off the warning, and plows in again, relentlessly, banging heads on the inside as he unleashes his thundering liver damage combination punches, [he practices every day on the body bag in the gym]. Throwing everything at the aging Castillo, until he eventually breaks him down in the 8th round.


Gary Todd has been involved in all aspects of the sport of boxing, and is the author of his best selling book on world champions, 'Workouts from Boxing's Greatest Champs' He is also a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.