BoxRec

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I don't buy it. Why would Harris be willing to travel to
Germany and tackle Urkal but not prepared to come to England for Hatton? It looks like another smoke screen from Warren.

What next for Ricky?

Who's left for him to fight that isn't occupied?

Lets get Harris's side of the story first. Ive read about 5 different Harris interviews where he was incredibly willing to go to Manchester for the fight. Urkals promoter insulted him when he turned down $300'000 to fight a rematch with Urkal to go for the Hatton fight and Harris called him a fornicating bastard or something like that. They are not on good terms so why would he want to go back to Germany for a dangerous fight like that?

I also read an interview today with Ricky Hatton where he said he's willing to take Harris up on a 50'000 side bet on the fight. Ricky also said he's in hard training for the fight. Warren releasing all these statements about how he's willing to take a financial hit for the fight made me wonder and suspect that something was up.

i tend to go against my better instincts and believe warren on this one.

Hatton will wash his hands of Warren if this fight dont happen

...he certainly should anyway

Warren hinted at this in his News Of The World column on Sunday, saying that if Harris didn't agree to terms by today he would pull the fight. I am a longstanding critic but something also tells me to believe Warren on this one as well.

Bluff & counter bluff. These two have not got a helluva lot places to go if they pass on this payday. Harris will agree in the end - where else is he going to get such a heavyweight payday?

Yeah I go with Warren on this one too, he has got to have figured that even if Hatton lost he would still be a cash cow, but if he walked then Warren's future earnigns go with him.

Only two reasons I can think of,
1. Stewart figures his man can't beat Ricky and talked him out of it.
2. He has somehow got a Gatti fight lined up.

I still think this is sabre rattling on both sides, they are just both trying to get the maximum amount of money/control.

i hope you are right mate, always the danger with so loing between arranging the fight and the actual date.
Its still 2 months away.

Thank god I havn't bought tickets for this fight

I don't buy Warrens story b/c Harris was running his mouth bigtime about how he would come to England and fight Hatton. he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would backtrack. Why would he call Hatton out and call him a coward in the first place if he didn't want to fight him?

I will not watch hatton vs Spadafora or Leija or Weiss. Which is what will undoubtably happen. Now they have an excuse.

jamesmcdonnell wrote:I still think this is sabre rattling on both sides, they are just both trying to get the maximum amount of money/control.

I agree. I've just received something purporting to be from the States where Harris is calling Hatton out!

I'll have to wait until they get up over there to find out if it's gen. Don't want anyone winding me up! 8)

Yeah, I think main events have to be given a tinkle. I don't believe it is in the interests of either party for this to fall through. Harris couldn't draw flies to a fresh turd.....why the fornicate would Gatti want to fight him when Mayweather and Tszyu are around?

I think Harris is stalling because he WANTS OUT of his contract with Main Events, which expires in the next few weeks. I suspect he'd like to negotiate independently or he'd like someone else negotiationg for him.

Steward has been brought in, not sure what weight he carries with people like HBO, but you do wonder if some 'other' negotiations are being conducted. Here are a few observations:

1 - Hatton is NOT mandatory according to the WBA last week.

2 - Mayweather is ranked above Hatton in the WBA rankings

3 - WBC champion Gatti would like to fight Spadafora next and duck Mayweather until 05.

4 - Could Mayweather use his WBA ranking, take side-step money and fight Harris.

5 - Allowing Gatti to get another pay-day versus Spadafora and then UNIFY in a massive HBO fight in the new year.

6 - Could future promises of coverage regardless of the outcome of a potential Mayweather fight tempt Harris OUT OF his Hatton fight?

7 - After all Mayweather has few other options in 2004 as Mitchell and Tszyu are booked?

I just wonder if we're seeing a domino effect that will lead to Hatton being on the outside looking in as Mayweather v Harris and Gatti v Spadafora all happen on HBO?

Leaving Hatton on the outside facing N'Dou on Showtime?

Just a theory?

DavidPayne wrote:I think Harris is stalling because he WANTS OUT of his contract with Main Events, which expires in the next few weeks. I suspect he'd like to negotiate independently or he'd like someone else negotiationg for him.

Steward has been brought in, not sure what weight he carries with people like HBO, but you do wonder if some 'other' negotiations are being conducted. Here are a few observations:

1 - Hatton is NOT mandatory according to the WBA last week.

2 - Mayweather is ranked above Hatton in the WBA rankings

3 - WBC champion Gatti would like to fight Spadafora next and duck Mayweather until 05.

4 - Could Mayweather use his WBA ranking, take side-step money and fight Harris.

5 - Allowing Gatti to get another pay-day versus Spadafora and then UNIFY in a massive HBO fight in the new year.

6 - Could future promises of coverage regardless of the outcome of a potential Mayweather fight tempt Harris OUT OF his Hatton fight?

7 - After all Mayweather has few other options in 2004 as Mitchell and Tszyu are booked?

I just wonder if we're seeing a domino effect that will lead to Hatton being on the outside looking in as Mayweather v Harris and Gatti v Spadafora all happen on HBO?

Leaving Hatton on the outside facing N'Dou on Showtime?

Just a theory?

Hatton is the next available of the rated fighters, though quite how this qualifies as a mandatory is beyond me. Vivian has held the title for a year, and I think he has to face the highest ranked AVAILABLE contender, if the others choose to go elsewhere. However, if one of the others suddenly becomes available I guess that might change things.

As Morrissey once said.

"I know it's over, but then again it never really began, but in my heart it was so real"