Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
WBN Editor
Olympian gears up for the games with former world champion
Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2012 Olympian Tom
Stalker put in a training session with former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton
last week as the 27 year-old joined the ‘Hitman’ at his gym in Manchester.
Stalker, who will compete at the London games in the late
summer, worked the pads with the British boxing legend, along with gaining a
few helpful tips from Hatton, 33, as he was put through his paces by the
fighter-turned trainer and promoter.
“It's was a great day to get trained by one of my boxing
idols,” Stalker told World Boxing News.
“He is a really good coach and the setup he has got in his
gym is first class.”
The Liverpudlian, who is favoured as a gold medal hope in
London, will take part in the 64kg category this summer and also captains the
GB Boxing team. His experience with Hatton will only add to his chances of
claiming a medal at the games and Stalker was keen to learn from the man who
fought both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao before retiring last year.
“Ricky was great on the pads in his days with Billy Graham
and is now a great pad man himself, along with a great coach. He was teaching
me that even though I am a tall fighter, I can still work and be clever on the
inside.
“He even gave me and mates some pads which was nice of him
and told me to call down the gym anytime.
“It would be nice to go back as I learned a lot in just that
one session with Ricky and he is such a nice man,” added Stalker.
Hatton has forged a successful career for himself away from
the ring with his venture Hatton Promotions and has also recently gained his
trainer’s license. He currently looks after Adam Little amongst others daily in
his gym and almost had his first world champion when Martin Murray took Felix
Sturm all the way to a draw at the back end of last year.
A European championships silver medal and a bronze at the world championships in Baku had followed Stalker's standout gold at the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi and the likeable fighter will be be confident ahead of his chance to claim a gold medal on home soil later this year.
A European championships silver medal and a bronze at the world championships in Baku had followed Stalker's standout gold at the 2010 Commonwealth games in Delhi and the likeable fighter will be be confident ahead of his chance to claim a gold medal on home soil later this year.