Beyond The Ropes: Campbell Hatton

Beyond The Ropes: Campbell Hatton

Campbell Hatton turned professional in 2020 after a limited amateur career and limited success in the unpaid ranks. A National Novice title and two regional titles were the highlights of his amateur run.

Hatton was 19, when he announced he had signed with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing. Big exposure. A big platform. But there was nowhere to hide. Hatton would have to learn his trade under the full glare of the harshest of public and media scrutiny. Fighting on Sky Sports and then DAZN wasn’t ideal for his apprenticeship years.

Being the son of a British icon always has benefits. It helps get you started. But it doesn’t help finish what you started. Without the family connection, Hearn wouldn’t have come calling. But expectations were incredibly high. Comparisons with Ricky Hatton were a constant. A chip off the old block in some ways. But not in every way. Most crucially, inside a boxing ring.

Hatton struggled to impress almost from the very beginning. After three wins against extremely low-quality opposition, a 2-4 Spanish import Sonni Martinez was extremely unfortunate not to have been given the nod over Hatton after six hard rounds in September 2021 on the Anthony Joshua Oleksandr Usyk undercard. The robbery cries followed the fight. They didn’t look misplaced. Trust me, Hatton got away with one that night. But already, there were doubts about just how far he could go. Brutal limitations in his style that didn’t bode well for his future. But at 20, Hatton was young enough to improve. But was he good enough?

The wins kept coming. Fleeting signs of improvement. Albeit against low-grade opposition. Hatton got his resume to 14-0. The spots on the big card had got him the desired attention. But his moment of truth was coming.

In March, Hatton was given sterner opposition. The once-beaten Jimmy Joe Flint was the first real test for Hatton. The Central Area super-lightweight title was up for grabs. It seemed a good piece of matchmaking. A gradual increase in the standard of opposition. Flint was a little step up. But Hatton was still expected to win.

But the trip to Sheffield ended in disaster for Hatton. Flint won a deserved decision over ten good hard close rounds to take away Hatton’s unbeaten record. An admittedly entertaining fight to watch. But those limitations were brutally exposed by Flint. In many ways, it had been coming.

Hatton immediately made changes to his inner circle following his first professional reversal. His uncle, Matthew Hatton, was replaced by Ben Davison as his trainer. Hatton left his home comforts, hoping the change would bring him the rewards of sacrifice.

A rematch with Flint was the obvious fight to make. Although, a ‘softer’ return might have served him better. But Hatton rolled the dice again on Saturday night for his rematch against Flint in Manchester. But in another good fight, Hatton was again at the short end of a ten-round decision. The same old flaws resurfaced. A deeply worrying night for Campbell Hatton.

I had Flint winning both fights. I couldn’t make a case for a Hatton victory in either fight. Hatton was competitive on each occasion. But for context, Boxrec has both fighters sitting outside of the top twenty domestically. Sadly, I can’t see Hatton finding the improvements he needs to go any higher in his career. Area level is no disgrace. But will Campbell Hatton be content if that indeed is his ceiling? Is that enough for an ambitious fighter who must have seen more for himself just a few years ago?

But Hatton is unlikely to retire, at least in the short term. He is only 23, and the sport is in his blood. It might just be all he really knows. But the two fights with Flint told us where his level is. He seems unlikely to surpass it. The post-fight words of Eddie Hearn indicate that if Hatton is to continue with his career, he will probably have to do it on the small hall circuit. That might be of benefit to Hatton. A couple of fights away from the bright lights might do him the world of good. Steve Wood and his VIP Promotions do seem a good fit for him.

Campbell Hatton is facing a somewhat uncertain future. Back-to-back defeats are never good for any fighter. Hatton, especially, will have found them sobering and humbling. As will any appearance on shows away from the Matchroom bubble. A circuit Hatton hasn’t yet had to endure. Or survive. Will he even want to drop down to that level? An unforgiving world that just might not be for him.

The family name certainly got him a head start in his career. And you certainly can’t blame the Campbell Hatton team for accepting that lofty entry into professional boxing. But all the boxing credit does seem to have now run out. The surname gets you a seat at the table. But it won’t keep you there. Hatton will now almost certainly have to work his way back up to the big leagues. But will a more conclusive defeat follow if Hatton can somehow work himself back into the limelight. The desire and the heart are certainly there. But where it matters the most, sadly, might always be lacking.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing