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Boxing

Hatton forced to give up IBF title

14/04/2006

Ricky Hatton has confirmed he will give up his IBF light-welterweight title in order to step up a division to meet Luis Collazo.

Hatton, 27, seized the IBF belt last year with a shock victory over Kostya Tszyu and later beat Carlos Maussa to unify the WBA belt.

Now the Manchester fighter wants to step up a level to take on America's WBA welterweight world champion Collazo in Boston on May 13th.

Due to the boxing's regulations, that means he has to give up his IBF title to have the chance to become a two-weight world champion.

He said: "It is with the greatest regret that I must surrender my IBF light-welterweight title.

"Winning the IBF Championship was without doubt the greatest night of my life and to have to give it up outside of the ring is truly a painful experience.

"It has never been my or my team's intention not to defend my title against the IBF's appointed challenger but sadly due to outside influences, legal problems and problems meeting TV schedules, it seems that this is the situation I find myself in."

A lucrative showdown with boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather remains a possibility at some point in the future.

Mayweather has also made the step up to welterweight having already won world titles at super-featherweight, lightweight and light-welterweight.

Last weekend, Mayweather claimed the IBF welterweight title from Zab Judah in a controversial points win which was marred by a ring fracas started by his uncle and trainer Roger.

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