http://maxboxing.com/McDonnell/McDonnell031706.asp
Interesting read about Hatton and his next opponent. Apparently he must pick a big name opponent if he wants to make a name in the US. HBO will not televise a fight with Rabah or any other unknown fighter.
I think Ricky should fight Collazo, I read that Billly Graham is not keen but its a good match-up for the following reasomns:
SIX valid reasons!!!
See, it makes perfect sense?
Note: I notice Collazo has a fight penned against Oktay Urkal in the coming months but Im sure a step aside could be organised.
I think a Collazo fight is a good idea
The US will have to be realistic,he may not necessarily bully and dominate Collazo the way he has with some of the Light Welters,but to win a belt in your first fight at higher weight is no mean feat and no one can say he fought a blown up lightweight
could be a really good move,although I would still like him to smash Vivian harris for giving it the big un recently and tring to make our Ricky is scared to face him!!
[quote]Just hours before Fight Academy were to confirm that Ricky Hatton would be defending his unified light welterweight crown against Juan Lazcano, the news came through that the Texan had broken a finger in training and would not be able to make the May 13 date for the Hitman’s major US debut.
“Just as I put the deal to bed and finally got to bed myself I get a call at 4am Wednesday morning telling me that Lazcano had broken his finger,” promoter Dennis Hobson said. “We’re disappointed, of course, especially as Lazcano would have made for an outstanding collision of all-action fighters but we’ve already moved on and we’ve got three equally exciting fighters ready to sign on the dotted line over the weekend.”
Hobson, Fight Academy partner Robert Waterman and US co-promoters Banner had hoped to announce Hatton’s opponent a week ago but, as those in the trade say, ‘boxing is boxing’.
“It has been a tiny bit frustrating,” Hobson said. "First we had to step away from the negotiating table while Ricky’s court case in the US was going on and then, just as we signed what we thought would be the perfect opponent for Ricky to make an American statement with, he pulls out hurt. But these things happen, it is no big deal.
“We’ve agreed a fantastic three-fight deal for Ricky with HBO which will ensure that not only will Ricky receive much more money per fight than he did before he signed with us but also that more American fans will get to see Ricky on US TV than ever before.”
Regarding the opponent, Hobson said he expects to put the issue to rest – for the second time – by the weekend. He said: “I’ve been reading all sort of stuff about how time in running out for us but Ricky will still have two months notice of who he will be fighting. That’s about average in boxing and is hell of a lot more than the two minutes notice he had when he was fighting on another promoter’s card in 2003 when the Vince Phillips fight nearly didn’t happen just minutes before Ricky’s ringwalk.”
Hobson also confirmed that he had reached a deal with Don King for Hatton to move up to welterweight and challenge King’s man Luis Collazo for the WBA title.
He said: "We did the deal two weeks ago and were ready to sign off on it but Ricky’s trainer Billy Graham thought Collazo’s style wouldn’t make for the kind of thrilling fight we want to kick off Ricky’s American invasion.
"The new look Team Hatton is just that – a Team – and we make decisions as a team. Even though Ricky was delighted that Fight Academy could deliver two new world championship belts for him in just two fights, Billy had reservations about Luis Collazo’s southpaw style.
“Billy was just as confident as we were than Ricky would win and become a two-division champion, Billy felt that Collazo would play spoiler and try to put a dampener on what we believe want to be an explosive championship debut for Ricky in America.'”
The Sheffield based promoter also confirmed that Fight Academy would be putting on a major world title promotion in England to compliment the American action on May 13.
"In addition to Ricky’s world championship debut in America we will be running a sister show in England on the same night which will also be headlined by a major world title fight, maybe even two world title fights.
“Myself, my partner Robert Waterman and the rest of the Fight Academy team are looking at putting on at least four world title fights on May 13, perhaps more, and there will be several other fights of worldwide significance on both sides of the Atlantic. We promise boxing fans a feast of action come May.”
[/quote]
It seems that they could’ve made the collazo fight but apparently he isn’t the right fight for Hatton… But Harris is?? Hatton should be fighting Collazo… fuc* saying it won’t be the right sort of fight - Hatton will make it spectacular… then Cotto/Mayweather won’t have anywhere else to run!
I wonder how many people there are in Hatton “circle of trust” that have a say in who he fights next. From the outside it looks like he has too many people having a say. Why have a promotor if you are not going to listen to him and let him do his job?
Having his trainer state that he doesn’t want a fight seems a little strange to me. I looks like the promoter Hobson went ahead and organised the Collazo fight only for the trainer to veto it. Surely if everyone spoke to one another they could have saved a lot of time and effort and not bothered talking to Collazo in the first place because they would have known that he would veto it.
I rekon the whole team sits down and discuss it. Id say Billy would have biggest say, but it will be down to Ricky on who he fights. i think if he signed for Golden Boy he would get a shortlist of opponents and venues and given time to choose one. Is that how it works? calculated and guess spring to mind.
LOL @ Reakon.
[quote]Surely if everyone spoke to one another they could have saved a lot of time and effort and not bothered talking to Collazo in the first place because they would have known that he would veto it.
[/quote]
Yeah I agree, why waste time agreeing terms with King for the collazo fight just for the trainer to veto it??? Again just goes to show that this first fight in the US is having more hic-cups than was nesceceray. Personally ithink Collazo would be a good fight - Ricky would win, become WBA 147 champ and a 2 weight champ - and it would in turn give him EVEN MORE pulling power becoz of his achievements and would earn him more respect from the US fight fans and critics than beating Harris!!! So that stuff about Collazo not being the ‘explosive’ fight Ricky needs is rubbish IMO!
Why would Collazo earn Ricky any respect? Vivian Harris would give him more respect because Vivian is more well known. I have never even heard of Collazo, I had to look him up on the internet and I watch boxing in the US.
Collazo is shit I’ve never seen him fight before so how can he be a champion.
Torres is a skilled, hard hitter that people have heard of. He had a good showing against Miguel Cotto that earned him a lot of respect amongst US boxing fans especially amongst the mexican population.
I would like to see him fight Harris as well just to shut him up for good but I don’t know if Ricky would gain anything by beating someone that Maussa just knocked out after beating Maussa.
N’dou has a pretty good name but he has already lost to Cotto, Mitchell, and Witter. He’s got 8 losses for crying out loud.
Flash KO, sucker punch I don’t care what you call it Kendall Holt got KTFO in the first round by a guy with only 9 fights under his belt and has only fought 3 fights that were over 6 rounds. This would be a slaughter and wouldn’t give Hatton much credibility.
Too bad Lazcano pulled out but Torres IS the next best thing. I see him as being the only viable opponent at this time.
Why isn’t DeMarcus Corley’s name being mentioned. He is a gate keeper of the welterweight division and has had good showings against Mayweather, Judah, Cotto etc. and unlike N’dou doesn’t have as many losses. Is Corley not up for a Hatton fight?
Yes, how can Collazo possibly be the WBA welterweight champion if you’ve never seen him fight? It’s a disgrace. You should petitiion the WBA at once.
How do you know hes sht if you haven`t seen him box yet. and about Torres i think Cotto made him look good rather than his skill doing it. Torres was running on empty after 4rds.
Collazo, Harris or Torres, IMO.
Collazo i think is already booked, with Torres and Harris it’s a question of who’s leftovers to go for? No doubt Harris is dangerous but there’s not telling what the Maussa loss would of done to him, Torres however, we know has power and he was beaten by a world class fighter. Granted, he was an unknown before the Cotto fight, he shown a lot of heart. He, IMO is the best of a wobbly bunch. His stamina is suspect but then again, everybodie’s stamina is suspect when they are up against Hatton.
Really though did anyone even know who Collazo was until last week?
OK OK NOW HOW THE HELL YOU GOING TO SAY COLLAZO AINT SHIT… WHEN YOU AINT NEVER SEEN HIM FIGHT BEFORE AND FOR YOU INFORMATION READ THIS
Highly ranked contender Luis Collazo has agreed to step into a world title fight against World Boxing Association welterweight champion Jose Antonio Rivera on April 2 at the DCU Center. Rivera’s scheduled opponent was forced to withdraw after developing an “infectious respiratory tract disease, with symptoms of pneumonia†according to a written report by an attending physician.
Rivera (37-3-1, 24 KOs) was to have met undefeated No. 1 mandatory contender Thomas “Lionheart†Damgaard (34-0, 26 KOs), who recently became ill while training in his native Denmark. This is the third time Rivera and Damgaard had been scheduled to meet. The match was postponed twice last year at Madison Square Garden, once due to the death of Damgaard’s father, which postponed their April 17 bout, and for a second time on Oct. 2 after Rivera suffered a hand injury.
Former unified world welterweight champion Ricardo “El Matador†Mayorga stepped up to face Rivera on April 17, but Mayorga was unable to make the 147-pound weight limit, so the match was canceled.
Collazo (24-1, 11 KOs), from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a southpaw with a straightforward, exciting style. He floored highly regarded Felix Flores twice and won a unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 2.
“I was willing to fight Rivera when Mayorga didn’t make weight last year at the Garden but it didn’t happen,†Collazo said. “This is a fight I have wanted for a long time. All I asked for is an opportunity and now I’ve got it. I hate to disappoint all of Rivera’s fans in Worcester, but it’s Collazo time. I’m going to win and be the new WBA welterweight champ.â€Â
Don King Productions Vice President of Boxing Operations Bob Goodman said it would be a mistake for Rivera to overlook Collazo.
“Luis stands right in front of you and comes to fight,†Goodman said. “It’s important for Jose Rivera to stay focused as Collazo is a serious contender. Rivera does not want to underestimate him for coming in late. Collazo has every intention of arriving in Rivera’s hometown to relieve him of his title.â€Â
Rivera seemed unfazed by the news of Damgaard’s illness.
“I am 100-percent ready to go on April 2 no matter who the opponent is,†Rivera said. “I just want to fight. It seems like the Damgaard match was never meant to be.â€Â
Rivera became world champion by winning a majority decision over Michel Trabant in Berlin, Germany, on Sept. 13, 2003.
Both Rivera and Collazo were born in America and attribute much of their ring prowess to their boxing-rich Puerto Rican ancestry. Rivera has lived in Worcester since he was 16.
AND FOR THE PERSON THAT SAID HOW COULD HE BE THE CHAMPION… WELL THIS IS HOW… READ ON
Collazo wins in
Rivera’s backyard
BY TIM SMITH
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Jose Antonio Rivera (l.) ducks Luis Collazo’s jab, but Collazo comes out on top and takes Rivera’s belt back to Brooklyn.
WORCESTER, Mass. - Luis Collazo knew that he was walking into the bear’s cave when he took the match against WBA welterweight champ Jose Antonio Rivera at the DCU Center in Rivera’s hometown last night.
But he had seen Zab Judah pull off the feat of lifting the welterweight title from a hometown hero back on Feb. 5 when Judah went to St. Louis and stopped Cory Spinks. And Collazo wanted to do the same thing.
Collazo did, scoring a 12-round split decision over Rivera before a stunned crowd. And now, with Collazo and Judah holding titles, Brooklyn is the welterweight capital of the world. Judge Levi Martinez of New Mexico and judge Nelson Vasquez of Puerto Rico each scored it 115-113 for Collazo, while judge Paul Barry of Massachusetts scored it 115-113 for Rivera. The Daily News scored it 116-112 for Collazo.
“I won early and the last couple of rounds I won big,” Collazo said. “I only had two weeks to prepare for him and I beat him.”
And for your info you should petition the HBO and Showtime for now putting Collazo on!!! Let it be know he is boxing’s best kept secret… Just sign and lets get it on!!!
There is still no sign of an announcement of an opponent for Ricky Hatton for the US portion of the doubleheader to be featured on HBO although promoter Dennis Hobson has confirmed a fight with WBA welterweight champion Luis Collazo may be unlikely. He confirmed to Fightnews.com that he underestands Collazo has a broken hand and that may rule him out for the May 13th penciled date. Hobson met with Team Hatton in Monte Carlo this weekend where the family were watching Ricky’s Jr-middleweight brother Matthew Hatton. Hobson and Fight Academy hope to make an announcement this week.
LUIS COLLAZO HAND IS NOT BROKEN…
They are just stories floating bout that his hand is broke, nothing has been confirmed (so we dont know nothing for sure as yet), so chill out sexylady, we are a friendly bunch here, air your views, and if you have inside knowledge let us know 
Id like to see Hatton fight him, i think it would be an exciting fight, and a great debut for hatton in US.
I hear Callazo is a tough opponent, his record of who he beats doesnt scare me one bit though, but then again im sure who ever saw hattons before he fought tszyu fought same.
LETS GET IT ON, ;), i just wanna get an opponent signed and sorted. If its Callazo cool :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* ;D 8)
Ok I am letting you know that Luis doesnt have a broken hand… He is my cousin… so I know
Ok thankyou and cool, id much rather see hatton fight callazo than harris or rabah.
The stories posted are just stories, dennis apparently told fight news that he understand his hand is broken, he may have been misquoted, or not even said that, who knows.
So chill sexylady, where u from anyway and r u a younger cousin or an older cousin 
;D