Hatton plan derailed: After weeks of sorting through possible opponents for junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton’s May 13 fight – expected to be the first bout of a multifight contract with HBO – the fighter’s camp and HBO had settled on Juan Lazcano, a former lightweight title challenger who has won his past three bouts since moving up to 140 pounds.
However, it turns out that Lazcano suffered a broken finger during his victory against Ben Tackie late last month. The injury was diagnosed this week, meaning Lazcano is out of the fight.
That has left Hatton co-promoter Artie Pelullo and HBO – which agreed to pay an exorbitant license fee of at least $2.8 million for the May fight – arguing over opponents.
The Hatton camp would like to satisfy a mandatory against obscure Australian-based Tunisian Naoufel Ben Rabah (24-1, 13 KOs). HBO, which wants to see Hatton make a splash in his U.S. debut as champion and get some bang for its buck, prefers a more significant opponent. Among those the network would accept are former titlists Vivian Harris and DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley or Ricardo Torres, who pushed titlist Miguel Cotto to the brink in a sensational fight last fall.
Torres appears the least likely of the trio to fight Hatton because the IBF, whose title Hatton holds, inexplicably won’t rate Torres, a prerequisite for qualifying for a title fight.
If HBO and Hatton can’t agree on an opponent, the HBO deal may be delayed and Hatton would return to England for his next fight and defend against Rabah.
A pair of fringe contenders are calling out Hatton, hoping to get the fight in the wake of Lazcano’s injury.
Australian Lovemore Ndou (41-8-1, 27 KOs), who lost highly competitive fights to Cotto and former champ Sharmba Mitchell, was the first to notify the press of his desire for the fight.
“I think there is a greater power working to make this fight,” Ndou said. "Ricky Hatton vs. Lovemore Ndou must happen. HBO and the fans will not be disappointed when this fight goes down. Ricky and I are the two fittest fighters in the (junior welterweight) division. We are punching nonstop round after round. This will be a guaranteed contender for ‘fight of the year’ when I give Ricky a whipping.
“I gave Miguel Cotto and Sharmba Mitchell hell in fights at short notice. With time to prepare, I will defeat Ricky Hatton on May 13. Anyone who has seen me fight knows it will be a war. Send me the fight contract for Hatton and I will sign on the dotted line.”
New Jersey’s Kendall Holt (20-1, 12 KOs) also wants the fight.
“HBO promised my promoter, Dino Duva, that my time would come to fight in a big fight, so I’m calling out HBO to get me this fight and I’m calling out Ricky Hatton to fight me,” Holt said. “I’m ready, willing and able to step in. This is my destiny. All HBO has to do is keep their word to me and a star will be born that night. I’ve waited my whole life for a chance like this.”
Yes i know what your gonna say but everthing else has been posted but this is most intresting.
Courtesy of ESPN.
