BoxRec

From fightnews.com

Aussie trainer/manager Craig Christian told Fightnews.com that his pupil Naoufel "Chocolata" Ben Rabah (23-1, 13 KOs) will fight Arturo Morua (19-2, 17 KO's) in a IBF jr. welterweight eliminator on Sept 17 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Barrera-Peden undercard. Ben Rabah brings hopes of millions of boxing fans in Australia to bring back the belt formerly held by Kostya Tzyu who was dethroned by the English braveheart Ricky Hatton in June of this year. "It's an IBF eliminator, the winner of Rabah-Morua will definitely fight Ricky Hatton," exclaimed the rock-star style trainer. Ben Rabah, a Tunisian-born Australian, is a former member of Tunisian Olympic boxing team in the Sydney 2000 Olympics

I fancy this could be a stop-gap fight for Hatton. Not sure how things are placed right now, but I reckon:

- PBF will move up to fight Judah.
- Fight between Witter and TBA takes place Dec Feb for vacant WBC. In the meantime, Hatton fights the winner of this one around in Jan/Feb after the Maussa fight this year.
- Come Summer, Hatton has options to either move up to fight the winner of Judah PBF, or fight for a full unification.

Obviously that's just a theory, and there's so much politics shit happening at the moment that it can't be anything more.

Just think, tho, Hatton-v-Witter, all 3 belts on the line, City of Manchester stadium or something. That would be fantastic. Wouldn't like to give odds on it happening tho, I'd run out of space

Fightnews:

Hatton vs Maussa?
By Ray Wheatley -- World of Boxing
IBF 140 pound champion Ricky Hatton will co-promote his first world title defense. It was reported recently that Hatton is not interetsed in giving Kostya Tszyu a rematch and now IBF world light-welterweight title holder Hatton is expected to take part in a unification bout against Colombia’s WBA champion Carlos Maussa in Sheffield Arena on November 26. But Hatton’s long-time promoter Warren insists he has a solid three-fight deal and has threatened legal action. Warren said, "Anybody who interferes with my contract with Ricky or tries to induce him to break it will be sued." Hatton’s company, called Punch Promotions, will challenge any legal moves by Warren.
Thursday, September 1 2005

I'm just so confused i don't know what will be happening next

he should give a great fighter like kotsya a rematch, but doesnt seem interested in that which is completley unfair. he has to fight pbf of a rematch with kotsya

Does Tszyu even want a rematch? I've not heard him say so anywhere.

I cant see him wanting a rematch.... He aged in that ring with Ricky, and he would not fancy going through that again.

The High Court!

Its hard to guess where he will go from here, the likes off Rabah are a big big step backwards, the guy is'nt even commonwealth belt standard , he's just another aussie who's got ranked based on where he lives fighting hapless thais for a ranking.

Witter and Zoo he has stated he don't want , Mayweather is'nt in his plans , Zab is welter now, who's that leave Masau who he should beat but heh who knows , this guy can punch and too be honest with his ackward style i don't think he'll be a pushover personally I don;t think the dirty tactics Hatton shown with Zoo will bother this guy in fact i think it will suit him.

Only really leaves Cotto and they don't seem to interested in him either. Masua is the sensible fight and the one i would chase but after that where does he go, he don't seem to interested in the others , but first he has to beat Masua and thats not a fore gone conclusion ,its a lot easier to work out and stick to a fight plan against Zoo cos you can study Zoo, and know what he'll do he's methodical . Masus on the other hand is ackward and unorthodox he' just takes it has it comes and makes it up has he goes and rough stuff won't bother him like it botherd Zoo

Im not sure hatton has said himself he doesnt want Tzsyu again. Billy Graham said it i think

I agree with Coneye, Maussa is a real wildcard and appears the type of unorthodox fighter you just don't know which version is going to turn up. I think is more of a dangerous assignment because of his apparent eccentricity.

I would like to see Hatton defend his title against Kostya in the rematch but hold it in Australia with an Australian referee.

Give the Englishman some of his own medicine.

Kostya would probably win in the re-match. He'll be able to last 12 rounds and use effective tactics unlike last time. Hatton knows that'll be a tough fight and he hasn't got much to gain in fightin zoo. Sure he'll get $$$ but if he loses he may mess up his chances of fighting PBF/Cotto.

What tactics can he use for that? Most people though he'd have the experiance to Handle Hatton'spressure yet he didn't know what the hell to do.

Max Molyneux wrote:What tactics can he use for that? Most people though he'd have the experiance to Handle Hatton'spressure yet he didn't know what the hell to do.

Kostya is a thinking man's boxer in that he is a good preparer. He knows that his tactics against Hatton were not good enough so would be planning a new approach.

Secondly, the rematch would have a referee who would not allow Hatton's wrestling to be allowed. This was a decided factor in Hatton winning being allowed to clinch all the time.

It would be a top rematch between two tough fighters, Hatton just needs to beat Maussa quickly so the rematch can occur in the new year.

I really don't think hatton will give him the rematch. I bet he wants to fight cotto/PBF. If he loses to zoo in a rematch then his name will take a hammering. If he loses to PBF it wont hurt his name too much.

Zoo should of fought on the outside, that's where he could dominate the fight and let the right hand go at the very tip of his arm swing, that'll hurt hatton, rather than short right hands in the inside.