Back... better than ever!
Hitman says The Homecoming could top the lot
Last updated: 13th May 2008
Hatton: in training
Greatness is proved by what happens after you've been beaten.
Ricky Hatton
Quotes of the week
Ricky Hatton v Juan Lazcano
IBO Light-Welterweight title
Live on Sky Box Office
7.30pm, Saturday, May 24
Call 08442 410888 to book
Click here for more information
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Ricky Hatton is promising his legion of fans one of the best night's of his boxing career.
The Hitman is back in Manchester for the first time in three years when he takes on Juan Lazcano for the IBO light-welterweight in The Homecoming, on May 24th.
A record 55,000 crowd will be crammed into the City of Manchester Stadium to see his return, while those unable to get a ticket watching on Sky Box Office.
And even after scaling the heights of his Las Vegas superfight with Floyd Mayweather, Hatton believes this could top the lot.
"It's going to be a special night," he told skysports.com in an exclusive interview.
"It's going to be entertaining from start to finish and it's sort of one not to miss, a real event.
"I think it will be one of the best fights in my boxing career. The way Lazcano fights and the way I fight it's going to have you on the edge of your seat.
"Also with the atmosphere - with 55,000 there - I think it will be one of the best nights in my career and bearing in mind I've had some good nights so far, that is saying something!"
The Homecoming is the first step on the road to redemption for Manchester's favourite son.
Flattened by Mayweather in December as he chased the pound-for-pound title, the two-weight world champion admits there were "a lot of things that I did wrong" on that seminal night on The Strip.
But despite the first KO of his career, Hatton has, in the six months since then, found enough positives to start pushing for a rematch with the Pretty Boy.
And he says, he will be better second time around.
"I think the best is yet to come and I know that sounds daft with what I've already achieved and with losing my last fight, but greatness is not proved until the first time you get beat," he said.
"Greatness is proved by what happens after you've been beaten."
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Comments
Faisal Al beaky says...
I think Hatton has been a true peoples champion, to fight on the bill to suit UK viewers, and not for HBO or Golden Boys promotions, i think he can beat anyone in the division, but if he steps back up to welterweight and fights Mayweather he will have a better chance of beating him, but the outcome will be the same,
Posted 13:55 15th May 2008
O'snitch Stacey says...
I think he will Smash him up and if he doesnt i'll Snitch to the Judges and make him WIN!!!!
Posted 11:13 15th May 2008
Adam Meagher says...
wes jones, witter proved on saturday that he is all mouth and no action. he had 1 decent performance against harris and that is it. he has made more of a career slagging off ricky. he is not in the same league. i take ricky to beat lazcano by tko in the 8th
Posted 11:06 15th May 2008
Stephen Williams says...
Better than ever? just another empty cliche from a fighter with an identity crisisHattons Apparent technical erosion is more psycological that physical.Hatton circa 2008 is a fighter who's primary concern is in negating his opponents offensive capability at the expensive of his own,this is symptomatic of a gun-shy fighter.Hattons talent lies in his ability to convince judges that his artless rush into his opponents chest constitutes aggressive intent.It does not,it is simply a run for cover,safe confines found inside his opponents arms,Hitting and holding while the ref tries to unpick the tangled mess.What Happened to the exiting tearaway the so thrilled us all on skysports?Nothing.The fighter stays the same.What changes is the quality of his opposition.Hatton has not evolved to keep pace.While His victories over tszyu & castillo(both shadows of there own husks by the time they met hatton)are his most celebrated,his flat,tepid wins over Collazo and Urango reveal most about hatton during his run fighting in championship class.GymTime mis-spent in a gruelling effort to lose weight should be time spent sharpening skills and refining his ring craft.This arduious slog physically drains him and suppresses his imune system,hense the nagging colds and chest infections.The coldsaw that fizzed on his upper lip during the build up to his superfight with PBF again is symptomatic of this.Timmy orr,Clearly our shrewdest contributor,Makes the most salient point,a top class trainer is exactly what hatton needs to iron out technical deficiencies,introduce fresh ideas and restore confidence in his own abilitys.While i find his loyalty to billy graham comendable,retaining him as head trainer is professional suicide.
Posted 21:39 14th May 2008
Levi M says...
Hatton is the one of the best boxers in the world. Broke my heart to see him loose, but he will come back stronger and harder than ever. Good luck ricky
Posted 04:16 14th May 2008
Timmy Orr says...
I have to say I do not know this guy as a fighter who ricky is stepping in with. I have checked him out on various websites and he looks pretty handy. I just hope ricky does not try to hard to impress the blue crowd and just goes in and gets the feel of the fight. If anyone in British boxing needs to go for a named trainer I think it is ricky hatton, with that disgusting comment by Billy graham sayin he always told us Ricky hatton was a Light welter after the defeat to mayweather, yuck. He is always great to watch but I do not think he has moved on over the last 4 years. I personally think he needs to learn to throw a right hand ( have a word with manny steward) and stop spoiling his opponents and just take stock of the fight he is actually in and go back to the sharp punches in bunches. A few years back I was always impressed in the way ricky would change his game plan depending on the state of his face. The cortez debate is the biggest myth in sport since the David Beckham performance against Greece. If I had 12 chances to score a free kick I reckon I might pop one in aswell. I really hope he has taken stock of the defeat and not taken it to hard. Just remember Ricky, Roberto Duran lost more than one fight.
Posted 22:39 13th May 2008
Tresor O' hair says...
I feel that Ricky Hatton will win on points, but basically it will be a tough fight ain it, because Lazcano is a strong fighter who will keep coming forward. Trez.
Posted 15:38 13th May 2008
Chris Rodgers says...
Wes Jones....WITTER??? come on man, they gut aint in same league as hatton, and that was seen by thousands on saturday night, let it go mate... Hopefully he will stop shouting his mouth off now, he aint gonna get that big pay day... he does not deserve it..! Think it will be tough for ricky, but think he will get through this and hopefully we will see hatton/mayweather 2 ...
Posted 15:24 13th May 2008
Scott Healey says...
wes jones, you must have watched the witter fight. dont tell me you still think witter will win a fight with hatton. he could never have won anyway, never mind after fighting the way he did last time out. hopefully hatton will produce the right goods when he goes against lazcano. as for fighting mayweather again. id think maybe not. but lets all get behind the hit-man, and stop going on about witter v hatton. its not going to happen, and its nothing to do with hatton running scared. its simply that hatton doesnt need witter. differant class.
Posted 14:57 13th May 2008
Neil Harrison says...
Ha ha ha. Witter finally got shut up! and it wasn't even by Ricky Hatton. Witter should do us all a favour by backing up his mouth with the performances to match. He beat Vivian Harrius, which was impressive, but instead of talking about Hatton this and Hatton that, he should have kept his eye on Timothy Bradley. Who is younger, still undefeated and dangerous. Witter says he will come back better than ever, he is 34 and reaching the end of his boxing career. If he thinks he will still get a fight with Hatton, he is in dreamland. All credit to Timothy Bradley for doing all us brits a favour and shutting Witter up.
Posted 13:53 13th May 2008
Abid Khan says...
i tink it wil be a hard fight 4 hatton
Posted 13:39 13th May 2008
Kelly Sherwood says...
Ricky is the best fighter this country has produced in a generation, I know everyone will say Calazaghe but Ricky is in a tougher division. Just a word of caution, God forbid that he loses but if he does I hope he retires rather than get hurt badly.
Posted 13:22 13th May 2008
Wes Jones says...
The sign of a true Champion is to have yourself examined, look for some one to expose your flaws and to come back with those flaws over come. Ricky is a blood and thunder style fighter, in the cut of the likes of Nigel Benn, wants to get stuck in and have a tear up, thats where Ricky's skills within the tear up. Mayweather showed him how to box basically, in its finest form, hit and not be hit, and he did that so convincingly he even had the audasity to challenge Ricky on the inside. I think Ricky will win this next fight, its just im not so sure, these are the fights that will prepare him for Mayweather, Mayweather goes agaisnt De La Hoya, who i beleive will give him a far more challenging exam, than this fight will give Ricky. And Ricky mate, thats also part of being a champion, fighting those you have most chance of losing to, and winning. Witter
Posted 13:12 13th May 2008
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