Veteran trainer sees something special in welterweight Hatton
With his tattoo-covered arms and weather-beaten face, Billy Graham appears to be more biker than boxer.
But a trait often associated with both, toughness, is evident in Graham. The man who has trained Ricky Hatton to challenge for a world title has fought his share of battles.
Graham, 52, a former welterweight fighter from Manchester, England, has been a standout trainer for the past 17 years. His Phoenix Boxing Club has produced several British champions.
But Graham acknowledges Hatton is something special.
"His first time I put him in the ring, I told him that if he wanted it bad enough, he could be champion of the world, one of the greatest fighters Britain has ever produced," Graham said of Hatton, who is 43-0 with 31 knockouts going into Saturday night's fight against WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (38-0, 24 KOs) at the MGM Grand Garden.
"He walked into my gym when he was 17 years old," Graham said, recalling when he first met Hatton 12 years ago. "He was a junior amateur boxer. I had a lot of champions in my gym, and he was there all the time.
"It was like being in a sweet shop for Ricky. He got to spar all the time, and I could gauge him, I could judge him. He shouldn't have been able to do what he did at 17."
Together, they have climbed a mountain to get to this point. If Hatton defeats Mayweather, it not only will make him rich beyond his wildest dreams -- Hatton is expected to make in excess of $5 million -- but solidify Graham's reputation worldwide as a top trainer.
A Hatton victory would be the greatest triumph ever by a British boxer, Graham said.
He and Hatton remain close despite the fighter's immense popularity in the United Kingdom.
"He's a bit of an idol in Britain now, and he's a god in Manchester," Graham said. "He can't even walk down the street without people making a fuss over him. ... He sees himself as a normal guy who happens to be a fantastic fighter."
Hatton said he couldn't have a better person in his corner than Graham.
"Me and Billy have been mates for years," Hatton said. "We hit it off right away. The man knows boxing, and he knows how to train a fighter."
The chemistry between the two is strong, Hatton said.
"We can look at each other and not have to say anything, but we're thinking the same thing," Hatton said. "It's a wonderful relationship."
Graham first fell in love with boxing years ago when he saw Floyd Patterson training on television, he said.
"I was a little kid playing outside with a cowboy suit on. I didn't know boxing existed," Graham said. "I came into my house, looked on the TV and seen this black guy, and you didn't see many blacks on TV back then.
''I saw him punching the speed ball, skipping rope and shadow boxing, and he looked fantastic. My dad said to me, 'See him there? He can fight any man in the world.' I said, 'How so?' And my dad said, "Because he's the heavyweight champion of the world,' and I kind of got addicted."
Graham turned pro at age 19, but his career was short-lived. He had 14 fights, went 12-2 and then quit the sport at 25, citing his frustration with his trainers and managers.
"I had a bit of a chip on my shoulder," Graham said. "I was quite difficult to train."
Graham tried to make a comeback at 35. But he wasn't granted a license because of his lengthy inactivity. During the 10 years he was away, he did what he described as "a bunch of nothing."
"I did a lot of sitting around in the pubs, did some different jobs, but basically, I was wasting my time," he said.
Graham realized he missed boxing. And because he wasn't being allowed to fight anymore, perhaps he could train other fighters. It has turned out to be a good career decision.
"I always felt I had a good handle on the sport," Graham said. "I was good at communicating with others. The difference between me as a boxer and me as a trainer is I applied myself as a trainer. I'm a far better trainer than I was as a boxer."
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.
