Amid the considerable fanfare of Ricky Hatton's initial major American appearance and HBO debut, the punisher from Manchester was given all he could handle by underrated WBA Welterweight Champion Luis Collazo at Boston's cavernous TD Banknorth Garden last night. It was a savage contest fought tooth and nail as Collazo demolished pre-fight predictions that he would jab and move.

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton Saddo Boxing

The proud Brooklyn based champion climbed of the canvas in the first round and went mano a mano with the English pressure artist and hurt Hatton on several occasions, part! icularly during the twelfth and final round. But Hatton dished out a lethal blend of upstairs/downstairs combinations in every frame and was the busier, more accurate fighter according to Compubox's statistics handed out at the post-fight press conference. When the smoke finally cleared, the ringside judges scored the bout 114, 113 and 115-112 twice. Ricky Hatton wins his third consecutive major world title in three consecutive fights, a first for a British fighter, all within a ten month span.

Full Ringside Report To Follow With Massive Photo Gallery!

Click to read more boxing articles by Neil Deason

Discuss in Boxing Forum

---

Related Boxing Articles...

• Ricky Hatton - Luis Collazo

  

  13th May TD Banknorth Garden Boston Ricky Hatton Record: 40 Wins 0 Losses KO Ratio: 75% Age: 27 Stance: Orthodox Reach: 65” Height: 5' 6 Trainer: Billy Graham Notable Wins... Kostya >
  
  

• Boxing News Flash: “The Hitman” To Promote First Fight Card

  Rumours coming out of Manchester suggest that world light welterweight champion Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton will promote his first fight card this September in Birmingham, England. As one of the >
  
  

• British Fans Pack Las Vegas To Cheer On Hatton For Malignaggi Showdown

  

  © Tom Hogan / Golden Boy Promotions As Las Vegas prepares for tonight's fight night which headlines Ricky Hitman’ Hatton vs. Paulie ’Magic Man’ Malignaggi, Mancunian Hatton promises to give the >
  
  

• Exclusive Boxing Interview: Ricky Hatton

  

  Click for larger image© Team Hatton Moments after meeting the American press in Boston for the first time, Ricky "The >
  
  

• Ricky Hatton promises to belt Juan Urango one for his little boy

  As if making his Las Vegas debut, underlining his status as the world’s best junior welterweight and setting up a pound-for-pound collision with superstar Jose Luis Castillo isn’t motivation enough, >
  
  

• Why Hatton Can Shock Tszyu.

  As the big fight draws closer, opinions could not be more divided on the outcome of this summer's epic showdown between Manchester's undefeated star Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton and the >
  
  

• Ricky Hatton Puts On Boxing Display At Phoenix Camp In Manchester

  **With Slideshow** © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing Any concerns that Ricky Hattonʼs health is a problem at the moment were dispelled today as members of the media were invited to a >
  
  

• The ”Hitman” Comes to America.

  IBF light welterweight champion Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton will appear in America this week ahead of the weekend's WBC light welterweight clash between Arturo Gatti and Floyd Mayweather Jr. The >
  
  

• Boxing In Australia: No Quit In N’Dou On His Hunt For Hatton

  IBF/WBA super lightweight world champion Ricky "Hitman" Hatton will move up in weight to face WBA welterweight world champion Luis Collazo on May 13 in Boston, USA on HBO. The >
  
  

• London Press Conference Heralds Hatton’s Gatecrash of America

  Despite no opponent being confirmed for Ricky Hatton's American invasion, part of the plan was revealed at a packed press conference on Thursday aboard the WW2 era warship HMS Belfast. >
  
  

---