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Hatton on verge of the big time

12/04/2006

Ricky Hatton has the talent to become one of the biggest names in world boxing, according to a top figure at American cable network HBO.

The Manchester hitman, the current WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion, has won over the US broadcaster following his barnstorming rise to the top of his division.

Hatton, 27, is due to take on WBA welterweight champion Luis Collazo at Banknorth Garden in Boston in the US on May 13th and, should he win this and extend his unbeaten record, HBO Sports programming vice president Kery Davis believes the fighter's popularity and fame would be limitless.

"Ricky Hatton is a huge star in the making," Davis told the Boston Globe.

"We've had our eyes on him for a long time. If there was anybody in the sport we wanted to get our hands on, it was Ricky."

Commenting on Hatton's next opponent, the 24-year-old Brooklyn-based Collazo, Davis added: "This is a tough challenge for Ricky, facing a slick southpaw like Collazo, who everyone seems to underestimate.

"But if he wins, we foresee matching him against [IBA welterweight champion] Arturo Gatti and then [unbeaten IBF and IBO welterweight champion] Floyd Mayweather Jr.

"By the end of those three fights, he'll be as big a star in the US as he is in Britain."

Hatton boasts a perfect 40-0 professional record, with 30 coming inside the distance, and his two most recent fights have resulted in boxing promoters and broadcasters clamouring over themselves to secure his signature.

In June last year, Hatton claimed the IBF belt with a stunning upset knockout victory over Kostya Tszyu and he then followed this up with an even more impressive stoppage of Carlos Maussa in November to add the WBA belt to his collection.

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