**With Slideshow**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Yesterday, at Vermilion Cinnabar - the stylish, new, Thai influenced restaurant and bar in Manchester, England, Frank Maloney hosted a press conference to update media on the forthcoming fightnight which headlines Ricky Hatton and Juan Lazcano.

Despite other important press conferences held on the same day - it was a full-house at Manchester’s trendy new venue.

In attendance were, Frank Maloney, Ricky Hatton, Ricky and Matthew’s father/manager Ray Hatton, Hatton trainer Billy Graham, welterweights Matthew Hatton and Craig Watson as well as super bantams Danny Wallace and Mark Moran.

Frank Maloney in association with Punch Promotions and Golden Boy presents ‘Homecoming’ - a fightnight staged at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday, May 24. More…

At the end of this month, Ricky Hatton will take ‘centre stage’ at his beloved Manchester City Football Ground when he faces the Mexican, but now residing in California, Juan Lazcano.

I’ve openly admitted to knowing very little about the ‘Hispanic causing Panic’ and so I have decided to ‘educate’ myself by firstly watching his fight against Vivian Harris.

The WBC Light Welterweight Title Eliminator between Juan Lazcano and Vivian Harris took place on February 10, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, and was promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.

With a record of 37 wins (27 by way of KO) and 3 losses - Lazcano has faced some ’notable’ boxers which include: Steve Johnston and Jose Luis Castillo.

The younger (by three years), taller, ‘Vicious Vivian Harris’ - formerly from Guyana and now living in New York, had changed trainers and now seemed settled with Lennox Blackmore. With a fight record of 27 wins (18 by KO) and 2 losses - Harris too has fought some tough boxers which include: Stevie Johnston, Carlos Maussa and Oktay Urkal.

Rounds one and two were surprisingly ’quiet’ on the part of Lazcano, in fact, I think he threw three punches in the opening minute of round one. Straight away, it’s clear that Harris is keeping distance between the two men and Lazcano teeters around the perimeter of the ring. More…

IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi has shifted training camp from Vero Beach (Florida) to Sicily in preparation for his May 24 rematch with Lovemore N’dou on the Ricky Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi card in Manchester, England.

Malignaggi (24-1, 5 KOs) captured the IBF title last June by defeating champion N’dou (46-9-1, 31 KOs) by unanimous 12-found decision. Paulie successfully defended his belt this past January with a 12-round decision against No. 1 contender Herman Ngoudjo (16-1). More…

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Ricky Hatton told press last week that after suffering his first defeat to Floyd Mayweather,”I’ll come back stronger - that’s how great boxers are made”. At the official Frank Maloney promoted press conference last Thursday to announce the Hitman’s next fight against Mexican-American Juan Lazcano, Hatton spoke of the difficult few weeks following the fight on December 8.

“I genuinely thought I was going to win,“ said Hatton. “Afterward, I went on holiday for a few weeks, then watched the tapes again and started to pick out the positives”. More…

**With Slideshow And Full Audio Stream**

© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Today, at the Empire Casino, Leicester Square, London, Frank Maloney Promotions hosted a press conference to officially announce IBO Light Welter Champion Ricky Hatton’s next fight against tough Mexican American Juan Lazcano on May 24 at the City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England.

The top table consisted of welterweight contender Matthew Hatton, the Hatton boy’s father/manager Ray Hatton, Ricky Hatton, Frank Maloney, Richard Schaeffer and Robert Diaz, both of Golden Boy Promotions and Commonwealth Welter Champion Craig Watson.

Television cameras and members of the press were in attendance to hear the details of the impending fightnight which Ricky had insisted would be a ‘family occasion’ and screened at a Brit-friendly time between 6pm and approximately 11pm at night. This would be Ricky’s ‘thank you’ to the thousands of fans who have supported him in the UK and in the USA. More…

Ricky Hatton delivered a knockout blow to Ant and Dec last weekend, snubbing the British TV stars for big pal Matthew Macklin.

The world light-welterweight champion was due to appear on their prime-time show ‘Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway’ which pulls in millions of television viewers.

But ‘The Hitman’ told the Geordie duo to count him out when he realised his scheduled ITV appearance clashed with Macklin’s fight against Yory Boy Campas in Dublin, Ireland. More…