Four of Ricky Hatton’s Early Opponents Reflect on Facing ‘The Hitman’

Before Ricky Hatton’s crowning moment in June 2005—when he forced the great Kostya Tszyu to retire on his stool—the Manchester warrior underwent a long, punishing education in the ring. From local venues like York Hall to international stages such as Detroit, Hatton built his craft, toughness, and reputation fight by fight.

To understand what Ricky Hatton was really like before the world titles and Vegas nights, Boxing News spoke to four former opponents—Jon Thaxton, Jason Rowland, Mike Stewart, and Ray Oliveira—who each shared the ring with him during his formative years.

Memories of Facing Hatton

Jon Thaxton:
“My favourite fight. We were knocking hell out of each other. I gave it everything, but Ricky was the better man—phenomenal. I knew he was a body puncher, so I trained hard—5,000 sit-ups a day. He hit me with some Brahmas. After the fight, we were both getting stitched up—he had stitches in his eye, I had a load in my face. I said, ‘Ricky, I really enjoyed that. We must do it again.’ He looked at me and said, ‘You can f*** right off!’ Typical Ricky—always a joker.”

Jason Rowland:
“All I remember is being beat. It was a 50-50 fight, but looking back, I’d have approached it differently. The whole occasion was built around Ricky. I was supposed to fight him earlier in London but had to pull out due to illness. At the press conference, someone asked if I’d been watching tapes. I said, ‘He’s on telly every other week, I don’t need to.’ He was a great little fighter—brilliant for the fans—and inspired so many kids to take up boxing.”

Michael Stewart:
“I had to cut a lot of weight for that fight, and it really hurt me, but Ricky Hatton? He was strong as hell. Probably the strongest guy I ever fought. His energy was non-stop. By the fifth round, when I got dropped, I couldn’t have done anything more. He was too strong, too relentless.”

Ray Oliveira:
“I thought going to London would be rough, but Ricky made me feel right at home. He was excited—‘Ray, we got the same birthday!’ I said, ‘Yeah, but I’m 10 years older.’ In the first round, he popped my left eardrum. By round three, the right one. I had no balance, couldn’t stand. When I went down, the ref asked, ‘Ray, you getting up?’ I just smiled and said, ‘Nah, I’m good.’”

What Was Hatton Like in the Ring?

Thaxton:
“Relentless. Even with a bad cut, he kept pressing—bobbing, weaving, coming forward. He didn’t hit the hardest, but his pressure was nonstop. I gave it everything. I was seen as his gatekeeper, but that fight made my name, too.”

Rowland:
“I held him off for a while until he landed that long left to the body. His footwork was the key—he was in and out before I could land my jab. Then he got me with a hook to the body, and that was it. His body punching and pressure broke you down fast. He’s probably the best body puncher this country has produced.”

Stewart:
“Fighting Hatton was like fighting Julio Cesar Chavez. That’s who he reminded me of—the strength, the volume, how he put punches together. After I fought him, I started paying more attention. He was the real deal.”

Oliveira:
“Smart. I liked guys who came straight at me, gave me chances to counter. Ricky didn’t stay still. He gave me angles. I’d think he was in front of me, then boom—he’s to the left. I’d reset, then boom—he’s on the right. He was clever, not just a brawler.”

Did You Think He’d Become a World Champion?

Thaxton:
“Absolutely. If that fight with me had been stopped on the cut, we’d have had a rematch—but maybe it wouldn’t have been so memorable. I was proud of my performance, even in defeat. You just knew Ricky was destined for the big time. That win over Tszyu? That was his night.”

Rowland:
“Yes, especially with the support he had. I went to see him fight in Vegas—against Castillo and Mayweather. Thirty thousand people there. It was incredible. He was a friend, someone who genuinely got kids off the streets and into boxing. No one did it better.”

Stewart:
“No doubt. I’d fought guys like Sharmba Mitchell—Ricky was better. I didn’t expect him to beat Tszyu, but he did. After that, fighters like Zab Judah didn’t want any of him. I always wanted to see him fight Miguel Cotto—that would’ve been huge.”

Oliveira:
“Yeah, and I told him so. Right after our fight I said, ‘You’re ready to go to America and fight Mayweather.’ But I also told him—‘Don’t fight Mayweather first.’ Ricky was more than a champion in the ring—he was a champion outside of it. People loved him. He had footwork, intelligence, angles—he was special.”

In Fact!

Before the lights of Las Vegas and the roar of 30,000 fans, Ricky Hatton was a raw, relentless force learning his trade the hard way. From domestic dust-ups to breakout performances, the fighters who shared the ring with him knew they were up against something special. And when the time came, he delivered—becoming one of Britain’s most beloved and successful fighters of the modern era.