Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Preview and Odds

On Saturday night, June 23rd, former IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton will face off against former two-time WBC lightweight champ Jose Luis Castillo at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. HBO will be broadcasting the fight for free at 10 pm EST (free, that is, if you already have a subscription to HBO).

Before we get to the betting line, let’s take a moment and look at both fighters.

RICKY “THE HITMAN” HATTON

Hatton hails from Manchester, England and has a perfect record of 42-0 with 30 KO’s. He is 28-years-old, stands 5’6” and currently fights at 140 pounds. He trained by Billy Graham and managed by his father, Ray Hatton. Notable fights include his TKO of Kostya Tszyu and decisions against Juan Urango and Luis Collazo.

Hatton is an aggressive fighter who always looks to press the action. He throws tons of punches, and his most effective punch seems to be a wicked left hook to the body. His heart and determination are also formidable weapons, as The Hitman doesn’t seem to know the meaning of the word ‘quit.’ In many ways, he is very much the picture of an old school fighter.

On the flipside, Hatton does have a bad tendency to put on lots of weight between fights. He is also a bleeder due to scar tissue around his left eye. Also keep in mind that Hatton is stepping up in weight for this fight.

JOSE LUIS “EL TERRIBLE“ CASTILLO

Castillo fights out of Mexicali, Mexico and has a record of 55-7-1 with 47 KO’s. He is 33-years-old, stands 5’8” and weighs 140 pounds. He has notable wins against Stevie Johnson, Joel Casamayor, Juan Lazcano and Julio Diaz. He lost two very close decisions to Floyd Mayweather Jr. He also suffered a dramatic loss to the late Diego Corrales in 2005 (which won the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year).

Castillo is a fighter who will throw everything at you, including his head. He likes to cut off the ring and work over opponents with left hooks inside and overhand rights. He will give everything he’s got until the final bell and is the epitome of the cagey veteran.

Castillo has been in a lot of wars over his career, and that takes a toll on any fighter. Many critics have wondered how many upper-echelon fights El Terrible has left in him. Like Hatton, he also tends to cut and has had problems with his weight between fights.

PREDICTION

On paper, these two fighters sound similar in many regards. Tough fighters who push the pace, throw lots of punches, cut easily, and never take a step backwards. The biggest difference, however, may be the fact that Hatton is five years older.

This is going to be a slugfest, and boxing fans should be in for a real treat. Personally, I like Ricky Hatton to win a bloody brawl by a 9th round TKO.

BODOG ODDS

Bodog also gives you a chance to express your opinions on the outcome of the fight. There are no parlays, but the maximum bet is a very generous $1000 for the overall winner and $500 for the over/under on rounds.

Who will win?

Ricky Hatton -190

Jose Luis Castillo +155

Total Number of Rounds?

Over 11 ½ -200

Under 11 ½ +150

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Ricky Hatton vs. Jose Luis Castillo - Preview and Odds