The BBC wrote:Hatton and Warren at loggerheads
By Alex Trickett and Ben Dirs
Ricky Hatton's camp have disputed claims from allegedly that he has a legally-binding agreement to promote the world champion's future fights.
Ray Hatton, Ricky's father and business manager, told BBC Sport that Warren threatened legal action if they would not confirm an ongoing agreement.
Warren denied this but said: "I have an agreement. I expect it to be honoured."
Hatton's camp insist any contract with Warren expired after Hatton's world title win over Kostya Tszyu in June.
Hatton's lawyer, Gareth Williams, told BBC Sport he had received a letter from Warren's solicitor on Monday asking for confirmation of an ongoing deal between the camps.
Williams said the letter threatened legal action if confirmation was not received by 1700 BST on Wednesday.
Warren denied he had threatened legal action and said he only wrote to Hatton Snr to clarify his position.
The Hatton camp said they replied - but only to say they did not agree with Warren's position.
"I have an agreement for Ricky's future fights and I expect it to be honoured. I don't understand why he would talk to others."
- allegedly
Legal action had not followed by Friday morning, but Hatton Snr voiced his disappointment at the exchange.
"We are very disappointed because it brings our integrity into play. It's very sad and we don't want to go down this road," he told BBC Sport.
"We are honest people - you could strap us to a lie detector.
"But as you know there is no security in boxing and we are free to talk to others.
"We have made no secret of the fact that we've talked to Main Events, Golden Boy, Bob Arum and to a representative of Don King.
"We have not been cloak and dagger about any of this.
"I told Frank that we would love to finish Ricky's career with him if there was a level playing field, but I was also open with him and asked him if he could get close to the figures that others had offered.
"I expected to sit down with him and discuss things further, but the next thing I know, we get the letter from Warren's solicitor in Manchester.
"Where does the dialogue go now?
"Ricky couldn't really have been more loyal to Warren and we may stay loyal, but something like this makes it hard. It doesn't give you confidence."
Warren said he was reluctant to be drawn into a war of words with Hatton's camp.
"I respect Ray - as I do Ricky - and I don't want to start a slanging match with him," Warren told BBC Sport.
"But I have a legal and binding agreement which I expect to be honoured and upheld.
"I don't understand why he would talk to others, but that is up to him.
"I've just delivered Kostya Tszyu in Ricky's hometown and he was well paid. All I want to do is to help him be the best boxer and to make him money."
Juicy stuff. I would love for Ricky to sign with a US based promotor. Warren got him a title shot (maybe belatedly) yes credit to him, but there is always the possibility we could still be supplied with Hatton defending v TBA at the MEN Arena if he carries on his association with Sports Network. I want to see Ricky fight in Las Vegas and the like where legends are made, fighting against the best in the world. Can Warren supply this ?
Well, now there's a dilemma for us U.K. boxing fans.
If Hatton stays with FW we will get to see him 'regularly' on terrestrial TV, although the level of opposition is up for debate. If he goes with a US promoter we may never see him on our screens again.
From Hatton's point of view it can't be cut and dried either. If he stays with FW he can be fed easy pickings whenever he wants (although to be fair Hatton genuinely does seem to want the big fights) and pick up good money. Whereas a US promoter may well feed him to the wolves right away e.g. Mayweather. A bad defeat would decrease Hatton's marketability in the US considerably.
>>>If he goes with a US promoter we may never see him on our screens again.<<<
I'm sure that cable companies would be all over any fight that Hatton has and it will be on English TV even if he was fighting in Tibet. If he wants to be remembered as a great he has to face the best, which allegedly will avoid...Hatton needs to be fighting in Las Vegas, New York and other mecca's of the such...he is the best jr. welterweight in the world and it would be a damn shame, even a crime if allegedly ruins his career they same way that he has Calzaghe, by letting him sink into obscurity as a champion that resorts to fighting way inferior competition!
If he signs for a US promoter then I rekon Sky will televise all his fights live (possibly on Box Office) since all the boxing fans that watch boxing on Sky already know who Hatton is
Max Molyneux wrote:People will watch him more on ITV but it's upto Hatton.
People worldwide would watch him more if he signed for a US promoter and was involved in good fights instead of the usual cannon fodder he gets fed in this country. No doubts about it the general viewers who would watch on ITV would get fed up with the lack of competitiveness in his bouts against subpar opposition.
I guess it comes down to how much does he want to become a great... Stay with Warren and fight the usual class of opponents then he will become a joke like Calzaghe is (assuming Warren will do his usual and give him easy fights and avoid the big ones). Fight in the US against class opposition and really stake a clame to being one of (if not) the best
Very hard decision to make for Ricky and his camp. A lot depends on what he wants to do with the rest of his career. I liked the sound of retiring after ~3 more fights. Barry McGuigan and them have been saying for years, with good reason, that he was always going to have a short peak. Cashing in with a big US promoter (though be wary of DK - whatever he offers) could set him up for life, though Warren may have already provided that for him. Another reason to think twice about a US promoter is home advantage. Ricky really needs to be prepared for big changes in the whole ring atmosphere/environment that he's used to, if he's going to be fighting in the US.
I think it will be a bit bad of Hatton if he leaves after being delivered Kostya Tszyu at home (how many promoters who have got him home turf) plus he would now be fighting on terrestial TV.
It would be a bit cruel to leave him now - as Frank has delivered.
yes but frank would never have 'delivered' without Showtime.
Hatton should switch promoters, he's made some nice money fighting stiffs, but the yanks will forgive him of that when he goes to a real promoter who will get him real fights.
stujones wrote:I think it will be a bit bad of Hatton if he leaves after being delivered Kostya Tszyu at home (how many promoters who have got him home turf) plus he would now be fighting on terrestial TV.
It would be a bit cruel to leave him now - as Frank has delivered.
Allegedly only delivered as Hatton cornered him. Too little too late, Hatton should jump ship. fornicate Warren.
Ricky should go to America this is his time and he should go for it and see how far he can get. It would be a damn shame for him to end up like Calzaghe..... even the Welsh are bored stiff with him now. Ricky has the chance to fight in all the places that the legends fought in... imagine if he ends his career having hardly set foot out of Manchester.
Even if Hatton fought and lost to Mayweather it would be no disgrace as Floyd is probably the best out there pound for pound today... the shame would be if Hatton loses the chance to take on such a challenge.
silkov wrote:Ricky should go to America this is his time and he should go for it and see how far he can get. It would be a damn shame for him to end up like Calzaghe..... even the Welsh are bored stiff with him now. Ricky has the chance to fight in all the places that the legends fought in... imagine if he ends his career having hardly set foot out of Manchester.
Even if Hatton fought and lost to Mayweather it would be no disgrace as Floyd is probably the best out there pound for pound today... the shame would be if Hatton loses the chance to take on such a challenge.
Got to agree with all this
An unbeaten record don`t mean much if nobody remembers who you fought.
Mayweather may have the skills to beat Hatton but it wouldn`t be a formality, and that wouldn`t even be the only good match-up he could star in.
America would offer the chance to cement his place in British boxing history.
Owain wrote:If he goes with a US promoter we may never see him on our screens again.
I should have added 'except PPV':oops:
If Hatton stayed with FW and with his fights being shown on terrestrial TV, then his exciting style would help bring boxing back into the mainstream, which can only be a good thing.
BUT from the point of view of what can cement his 'legacy' then he should go to a US promoter. As someone stated earlier FW may have got Zoo, and at home too, but it's too little too late - and it would be nice to see FW shafted for a change.
Looks bad for Mr Frank right now...that letter from Warren's solicitor obviously went down like a pork chop at a Bar Mitzvah.
Tactful he aint.
Obviously someone's legal "advice" is not too hot - next few weeks will no doubt show us who holds the aces - got a feeling that might be Hatton.
I actually agree, it would be a bit of a blow if Hatton was too jump ship now. A year or two back when he wasn't getting the names he wanted then there was cause for concern, but surely not that he has delivered Tszyu in Manchester - against the wishes of US TV.
I don't think it will happen, I would be shocked - mind you a lot of things have shocked me with the business side of things recently. I would have pissed myself 12 months ago if someone would have said ITV would be showing prime time boxing.
stujones wrote:I actually agree, it would be a bit of a blow if Hatton was too jump ship now. A year or two back when he wasn't getting the names he wanted then there was cause for concern, but surely not that he has delivered Tszyu in Manchester - against the wishes of US TV.
The remembrance of all the slagging for years, pre-Tszyu, may be giving him second thoughts on committing - what if it all goes stale again? I think he genuinely wants to play with the big boys now.
If i was Hatton i would certainly want to fight in America soon whoever my promoter is, it is where the legends are made. I made the point in a post ages back, i can't understand these fighters of any nationality but more often European fighters who are content to sit at home and beat stiffs in the name of an alphabet title.
I would give my left arm to fight at the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Madison Square Garden etc who in Boxing wouldn't? Hatton owes nothing to Warren regardless of him getting the Tszyu fight made, i think he should base himself in the States and fight out there.
Sorry chaps but for the 1 fight he delivered (Hatton v Tszyu) how many fights has he failed to deliver for Hatton and the rest of his guys over the years. Fans were cheated on Sky for years with a lot of the shite they had to endure.
me too. No more messing around- Hatton has a ring title to defend, and Frank doesn't have enough experience of promoting at that level. If Hatton stayed where he was and frank tried to feed him stiffs for the world title the whole world would be watching this time. And that would be an utter embarassment.
