Round-by-round

See just how Ricky Hatton returned to winning ways against Juan Lazcano in May.

How the Homecoming drama unfolded

This is it... Ricky Hatton's Homecoming is here. All 55,000 seats are filled and the atmosphere at the City of Manchester Stadium is at fever pitch as Juan Lazcano, without his United shirt, enters the ring. The stadium almost explodes as the Hitman makes his eagerly-anticipated ringwalk which mocks his eating habits before Blue Moon booms out. He comes in with a fat suit on as well, with Fatton emblazoned down the side, before shedding the weight - again - and practically running to the ring. Oscar de la Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera and Mike Tyson are ringside, Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney have shown up, but can Ricky produce a performance worthy of such lofty company and loyal fans? You can find out right here with our round-by-round updates...

Round One

There's only one Ricky Hatton booms out, the backdrop to a cagey start. Hatton looks menacing, Lazcano cagey, but by the end of the first minute Ricky rocks him back with two body shots. The left hook to the ribs has landed already. A problem with the gloves forces a break in the action, but Hatton is straight back on the offensive, clattering in another left at the next clinch. At range the headshots are hitting - you forget how good Hatton can be at light-welter. A couple of uppercuts are yet to find their target, but if Lazcano had any doubts about what to expect, they have been dispelled already.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Two

First signs of Lazcano's offense, but a jab is shaken off and bettered by a left hook to the ribs, doubled up. Ricky then ducks away from a left hook and lands his own left straight on the money. Both sides of the challenger's ribcage are battered, as he stands there soaking it up, before landing a low blow. Hatton though surges forward, snapping a jab and looking for angles. Another low blow has the crowd whinceing but Ricky powers on. To his credit, Lazcano is giving it back.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Three

He's down! Hatton goes over, but a slip is ruled and 55,000 heave a huge sigh of relief. Hatton continues to press but Lazcano catches him on the way in with sweet left and encouraged, he lands lefts to the body and head and a right to the ribs. Hatton looks concerned and seems to be breathing heavily. Is the chest infection worse than we thought? Lazcano does his best work in this round and although Ricky responds with a decent left hook late on, hasn't lost this session.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-10 Lazcano

Round Four

Much better from Hatton. He dominates from the off, landing an uppercut with the left and a trademark hook with the right. It stops Lazacano firing back. He then swarms all over him and a left hook to the temple wobbles the champion. A three-punch combo leaves Lazacano labouring and Ricky returns to the corner to tell Billy Graham "I hurt him". More body shots bang home and the tide has well and truly turned in the Hitman's favour.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Five

Hatton is straight into it, cornering Lazcano and releasing a barrage of body shots. Still the Tex-Mex stands there, game as they come. But he thinks again as a booming left to the ear sends him scurrying backwards. Hatton is after him though, landing with the straight left and the right to the ribs as his opponent retreats. Credit to Lazcano he hooks back in response and is still competitive, but somehow you feel this is a question of when and not if Ricky wins.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Six

Vintage Hatton as he marauds forward angling in left uppercuts and straight rights. Sensibly Lazcano backs away and shows no shortage of defensive skills, blocking the majority, before the pair tie each other up. Hatton gets back on the front foot though and a quick left-right sets up another attack which sees a left to the body and then a cross right to the temple wobble his man. Lazcano is clearly not here to pick up his money although every penny he gets, he will have earned tonight. That Hatton uppercut closes the round with Ricky enjoying this.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Seven

Lazcano gets a couple in after the bell, but Ricky sits on a left hook that has got to hurt! Lazcano sneaks another low one in that referee Foster lets slide but is slightly higher with a sweet left hook. Hatton seems to take his foot off the gas, but he can still sneak that killer left in behind the elbow. Lazcano does fight back, hooking widely five or six times and Ricky takes them before setting up with anoter jab-lunge-hook combo. Lazcano gives it large at the bell, which is not like the man we have seen all week. Still, I guess he's not having that much fun out there being battered at will.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Eight

Hatton powers forward on the bell and Lazcano finds himself on the ropes covering up. But the boot is soon on the other foot and a right and although it looked low, or at least borderline, a bodyshot makes Ricky grimace and stop in his tracks. Inspired, Lazcano comes in with the hooks and Ricky is forced to pop off the job and cling on. He responds by backing his man up, two clubbing rights to the head seeming to sap all his energy, although again, the challenger is smart enough to smother the third. 'There's only one Ricky Hatton' sing the crowd. Well, to Lazcano, it must seem like there's a few more. Still, he's sticking in there and playing his part in an entertaining fight.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-10 Lazcano

Round Nine

No signs of fatigue from Hatton which is pleasing. Instead it's Lazcano whose legs seem to have gone and he is happy to absorb another relentless Hatton flurry. His head is rocked back by two snapped jabs and then a right, but again Lazcano his back, this time with a decent right. But there's blood on his face which will give Ricky more encouragement, although Lazacano won't mind. A slightly scrappier affair this one, but we can forgive both men for that. The effort and the ability is evident on either part.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Ten

Careful Ricky! Lazcano catches him with a peach of a right straight down the middle, even though he can barely stand up! Hatton drives forward again but before he can get his hook off, he is caught flush on the chin by a left hook. The right eye of Lazcano is bleeding quite badly and hampering his vision. Ricky tees off at will, Lazcano's ribs take it all but there is no sign of Hatton becoming over-eager. He is remaining calm and collected although it must be frustrating seeing Lazcano still standing... and still game. Ronnie Shields calls for more uppercuts, Billy Graham urges Ricky to stay in there. One of them is a given...
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Eleven

Right, right and right again, Ricky lands clean, clubbing shots to head and body. The third of the trio sounds like it might have ended most fights but somehow Lazcano is still upright, still fighting. A right jab jolts his head back and shows just how tired he is. Ricky sets him up with a left tickle to the ribs and then lands the straight right to send him back onto the ropes. At the end of the round Billy Graham tells Hatton not to gamble. Hatton says the only time he gets caught is when he gambles... err, right. Lazcano's corner urge him to survive the last round, which is the least he deserves.
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano

Round Twelve

I'm knackered, so Lord knows how Lazcano is feeling. He seeks solace on the ropes, but Ricky is all over him like a rash and a crashing left hook almost sends him through them on to Carole and Ray's lap. Hatton stays out of trouble for the rest of the round, Lazcano is not about to go looking for it either. The crowd have been in fantastic and there is no doubt who they think has won. And in reality there is no doubt who has won. The Hitman is back folks! Fasten your seatbelts again...
SKYSPORTS.COM SCORE: Hatton 10-9 Lazcano