Ricky Hatton Confirms June 23 For HBO/Sky Boxing Clash With Jose Luis Castillo

Photos ©Jane Warburton

At a press conference yesterday at a casino in downtown Manchester, England, Ricky "Hitman" Hatton confirmed June 23 as the date that he will defend his IBO Light Welterweight title against ex-lightweight world champion Jose Luis Castillo.

Dennis Hobson, head of Hatton's British promoters, Fight Academy, was on hand as was Castillo's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, as both Hatton and Castillo spoke to the attending press.

Both men predicted a thrilling fight and Hatton mentioned that he would be gunning for Hall of Fame inclusion after he retires, should he defeat the durable Mexican veteran at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on June 23.

The Manchester native will spend the next few weeks on a family cruise through the Panama Canal before buckling down to almost four months of training in preparation for facing Castillo, whom Hatton fully expects to give him the toughest fight to date of his 42 bout career.