BoxRec

I'm hearing rumours that Ricky has signed a fight by fight with Hobson / Waterman and is already scheduled to fight at the Sheffield Arena.
Anyone confirm ?

Ricky Hatton looks to have split from allegedly for his first world title defence.

The IBF light-welterweight king is set to co-promote his own unification bout with WBA champion Carlos Maussa.

Hatton's own promotions company, Punch Promotions, are reported to have struck a deal with Dennis Hobson's Fight Academy to stage his first defence at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena on November 26.

It means a move from the MEN Arena, where the 26-year-old has fought 12 of his last 15 bouts, culminating in that historic triumph over Kostya Tszyu in June.

But with Warren this week announcing an exclusive fight deal with the Manchester venue and Ricky's brother Matthew pulling out of a proposed Sports Network-promoted showdown with Ross Minter to fight on on Hobson's Clinton Woods-Julio Gonzalez card, the rift between the Hitman and his long-time promoter is wider than ever.

Hatton always maintained he is a free agent following his win over Tszyu, but Warren has vowed to take legal action against any promoter trying to sign him.

But with Hatton's father, Ray, admitting yesterday that it would now "take a lot for us to sit down and have a conversation with Frank" because the "goalposts have moved", and Punch Promotions ready to fight Warren all the way, a legal battle now looks likely.

Hatton will be in the ring for the first time since his win over Tszyu next Friday, when he is in Matthew's corner following his decision to leave the Sports Network stable.

"Out of loyalty to his family, Matthew has decided to pull out of his English welterweight title fight against Ross Minter after what's gone on between Ricky and Frank," said Ray Hatton.

"We're really pleased to be fighting on Fight Academy's forthcoming show and would like to thank Dennis Hobson for providing us with the opportunity.

"We've known Dennis for a while, he's always been pleasant and courteous and he stepped in very quickly. The night very much belongs to Clinton (Woods), but Matthew is looking forward to adding to the success of the show."

You can see Woods-Gonzalez on Friday Fight Night Live, Sky Sports 1, September 9, from 10pm.



from sky sports.

JohnShep wrote:I'm hearing rumours that Ricky has signed a fight by fight with Hobson / Waterman and is already scheduled to fight at the Sheffield Arena.
Anyone confirm ?

Just put this on the other hatton thread.... doesn't mention Hobson/Waterman.... although the clues were there with Matthew fighting on their next card....

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've been reading all these Hatton-Warren threads and comments without offering forth any opinion, basically because I thought it was all a bit of posturing with Team Hatton looking to squeeze a few extra quid out of SN.

This really is interesting stuff from a British fight fans point of view. It is strange that Ricky waited until Warren had actually delivered the big one before he appears to have upped and gone, perhaps he hasn't liked what he has heard since.

Wonder if Sicknote Calzaghe will do the same?

Goz wrote:
Wonder if Sicknote Calzaghe will do the same?

I think the difference there is that Hatton actually wants the big fights.... and is obviously going for them. I'm not so convinced by Calzaghe.

Can't see Calzaghe going anywhere, unless Sports Networks do deliver the big fights...then he could be off i suppose.

steve689 wrote:Can't see Calzaghe going anywhere, unless Sports Networks do deliver the big fights...then he could be off i suppose.

[quote="EddieShredderJust put this on the other hatton thread.... doesn't mention Hobson/Waterman.... although the clues were there with Matthew fighting on their next card....

[/quote]

Hatton's own promotions company, Punch Promotions, are reported to have struck a deal with Dennis Hobson's Fight Academy to stage his first defence at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena on November 26.

J wrote:

EddieShredder wrote:Just put this on the other hatton thread.... doesn't mention Hobson/Waterman.... although the clues were there with Matthew fighting on their next card....

Hatton's own promotions company, Punch Promotions, are reported to have struck a deal with Dennis Hobson's Fight Academy to stage his first defence at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena on November 26.

Yeah... saw your post just after I posted it :)

no wrries mate, sorry dont mean to be pineckity.

Does it really matter who stages Hatton's bouts. All I wanna do is see him fight.

When a band does a tour and play in your local town does it matter who is promoting.

he is fighting Nov 26, great. it doesn't matter to the man in the street who promotes

No of course not, but it's a pretty fornicating major story all the same.

chris s wrote:Does it really matter who stages Hatton's bouts. All I wanna do is see him fight.

When a band does a tour and play in your local town does it matter who is promoting.

he is fighting Nov 26, great. it doesn't matter to the man in the street who promotes

Unfortunately though... what it does/could mean is that if all this isn't sorted amicably, he could be out of the ring for a long while whilst this is dragged through court.

EddieShredder wrote:

chris s wrote:Does it really matter who stages Hatton's bouts. All I wanna do is see him fight.

When a band does a tour and play in your local town does it matter who is promoting.

he is fighting Nov 26, great. it doesn't matter to the man in the street who promotes

Unfortunately though... what it does/could mean is that if all this isn't sorted amicably, he could be out of the ring for a long while whilst this is dragged through court.

How? He is still fighting in the meantime.

nickd wrote:

EddieShredder wrote:

chris s wrote:Does it really matter who stages Hatton's bouts. All I wanna do is see him fight.

When a band does a tour and play in your local town does it matter who is promoting.

he is fighting Nov 26, great. it doesn't matter to the man in the street who promotes

Unfortunately though... what it does/could mean is that if all this isn't sorted amicably, he could be out of the ring for a long while whilst this is dragged through court.

How? He is still fighting in the meantime.

That'll depend on how watertight franks alleged contract is though won't it..... if he has got a contract as he claims couldn't the bout get cancelled further down the line while it gets sorted?

jamesmcdonnell wrote:No of course not, but it's a pretty fornicating major story all the same.

In our small world of professionalboxing it is big, but look in the 4 papers that featured it today, double columns and one paragarph in an other. it means nothing to joe public.

EddieShredder wrote:

nickd wrote:

EddieShredder wrote: Unfortunately though... what it does/could mean is that if all this isn't sorted amicably, he could be out of the ring for a long while whilst this is dragged through court.

How? He is still fighting in the meantime.

That'll depend on how watertight franks alleged contract is though won't it..... if he has got a contract as he claims couldn't the bout get cancelled further down the line while it gets sorted?

If Warren had a watertight contract this wouldn't be happening.

Does anyone not feel a tiny shred of sympathy for Warren - after all he was as good as his word and delivered the undisputed world champion and pound for pounder right on Ricky's doorstep? I am no fan of Warres but he has made Ricky a very wealthy boy.

Does anyone feel that Ricky should have showed a bit of loyalty to Warren?

Really interesting development for british boxing though and I bet Hobson etc are "luvin it"

jimmy from the green wrote:Does anyone not feel a tiny shred of sympathy for Warren - after all he was as good as his word and delivered the undisputed world champion and pound for pounder right on Ricky's doorstep? I am no fan of Warres but he has made Ricky a very wealthy boy.

Does anyone feel that Ricky should have showed a bit of loyalty to Warren?

Really interesting development for british boxing though and I bet Hobson etc are "luvin it"

No sympathy at all. He held Hatton back for too long.

jimmy from the green wrote:Does anyone not feel a tiny shred of sympathy for Warren - after all he was as good as his word and delivered the undisputed world champion and pound for pounder right on Ricky's doorstep? I am no fan of Warres but he has made Ricky a very wealthy boy.

Does anyone feel that Ricky should have showed a bit of loyalty to Warren?

Really interesting development for british boxing though and I bet Hobson etc are "luvin it"

Personally, I do feel sympathy for Warren, he is from a similar background to myself, and from London. He has acheived a phenomenal deal in this business all of his own back against fierce opposition from Duff & Co, and the Board of Control. He has made Hatton wealthy from relatively low risk fights without terrestrial TV.

Who knows what goes on behind closed doors, I dont know what money Warren was making from the Hatton shows, but I wouldnt jump ship to an unproven promoter unless i was guaranteed more money whilst remaining a free agent.

nickd wrote:

jimmy from the green wrote:Does anyone not feel a tiny shred of sympathy for Warren - after all he was as good as his word and delivered the undisputed world champion and pound for pounder right on Ricky's doorstep? I am no fan of Warres but he has made Ricky a very wealthy boy.

Does anyone feel that Ricky should have showed a bit of loyalty to Warren?

Really interesting development for british boxing though and I bet Hobson etc are "luvin it"

No sympathy at all. He held Hatton back for too long.

AGREED. Warren was a-greedy

Totally with Warren here. He took the flak built the kid up from fighting in front of a few hundred in a leisure centre, made him a few million and that got shafted.


Like Warren or not, he made Hatton what he is today.

Boo fornicating hoo and how many people has he shafted over the years? What goes around comes around.

hahaha

Cant beleive im stickin up for frank and generally i hate all promoters - but frank has bent over backward to please the Hamed...whoops! Hatton family and now they want to £cash£ in. Prince...whoops sorry! Punch Promotions smacks of greed as much as warren has been greedy.....