Ricky Hatton has warned IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington 28-0 (6) to underestimate Kid Galahad 26-0 (15) at his peril.
The 28-year-old ‘Leeds Warrior’ will make the second defence of his title against Galahad, 29, at First Direct Arena in Leeds this Saturday night.
Warrington has already claimed the scalps of Lee Selby and Carl Frampton in back-to-back fights and according to Hatton, Galahad will present just as tough a challenge.
“This fight is as tough as they come and hard to call,” Hatton said to the Mirror. “I used to take Zhanat Zhakiyanov who was WBA bantamweight champion to spar Kid Galahad. I saw then that Galahad can really fight.
“This really is a tough fight, but since Josh became world champion I think he has warmed to it. It’s a very good fight and you’ve got to heap all the praise on Josh Warrington.
“Champions are judged on how good they are by the fighters they faced. Josh has beaten Lee [Selby] when he was the underdog and Carl [Frampton], a multiple world champion.
“Now, he is in with another quality fighter, Kid Galahad.
“His confidence has gone up another couple of gears since becoming a world champion. He is coming off the fight against Frampton and you won’t see many better fights in a boxing ring.
“He is on the crest of a wave and while your confidence is up you might has well face these people like Kid Galahad because it needs to be up.”
Hatton praised both boxers but said that Galahad may be the more naturally talented boxer of the two.
“Josh has a very high workrate, he doesn’t leave you alone. Look at the Frampton fight, Carl was the better boxer and judge of distance, but Josh took that away from him,” Hatton continued.
“That is what you do with fighters who have more talent. Take the talent away – bully them, rush them and keep on top.
“I think he will employ similar tactics against Kid Galahad who is very, very talented. Josh has got a very good boxing brain and he is going to need it against Kid Galahad.
“Kid Galahad is very talented, but sometimes people with the most talent don’t win. It is about the right tactics and game plan.
“That is why I pick Josh, ever so slightly, but this fight is tough.”
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