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Just hours before Fight Academy were to confirm that Ricky Hatton would be defending his unified light welterweight crown against Juan Lazcano, the news came through that the Texan had broken a finger in training and would not be able to make the May 13 date for the Hitman’s major US debut.
“Just as I put the deal to bed and finally got to bed myself I get a call at 4am Wednesday morning telling me that Lazcano had broken his finger,” promoter Dennis Hobson said. “We’re disappointed, of course, especially as Lazcano would have made for an outstanding collision of all-action fighters but we’ve already moved on and we’ve got three equally exciting fighters ready to sign on the dotted line over the weekend.”
Hobson, Fight Academy partner Robert Waterman and US co-promoters Banner had hoped to announce Hatton’s opponent a week ago but, as those in the trade say, “boxing is boxing’.
“It has been a tiny bit frustrating,” Hobson said. “First we had to step away from the negotiating table while Ricky’s court case in the US was going on and then, just as we signed what we thought would be the perfect opponent for Ricky to make an American statement with, he pulls out hurt. But these things happen, it is no big deal.
“We’ve agreed a fantastic three-fight deal for Ricky with HBO which will ensure that not only will Ricky receive much more money per fight than he did before he signed with us but also that more American fans will get to see Ricky on US TV than ever before.”
Regarding the opponent, Hobson said he expects to put the issue to rest – for the second time – by the weekend. He said: “I’ve been reading all sort of stuff about how time in running out for us but Ricky will still have two months notice of who he will be fighting. That’s about average in boxing and is hell of a lot more than the two minutes notice he had when he was fighting on another promoter’s card in 2003 when the Vince Phillips fight nearly didn’t happen just minutes before Ricky’s ringwalk.”
Hobson also confirmed that he had reached a deal with Don King for Hatton to move up to welterweight and challenge King’s man Luis Collazo for the WBA title.
He said: “We did the deal two weeks ago and were ready to sign off on it but Ricky’s trainer Billy Graham thought Collazo’s style wouldn’t make for the kind of thrilling fight we want to kick off Ricky’s American invasion.
“The new look Team Hatton is just that – a Team – and we make decisions as a team. Even though Ricky was delighted that Fight Academy could deliver two new world championship belts for him in just two fights, Billy had reservations about Luis Collazo’s southpaw style.
“Billy was just as confident as we were than Ricky would win and become a two-division champion, Billy felt that Collazo would play spoiler and try to put a dampener on what we believe want to be an explosive championship debut for Ricky in America.’”
The Sheffield based promoter also confirmed that Fight Academy would be putting on a major world title promotion in England to compliment the American action on May 13.
“In addition to Ricky’s world championship debut in America we will be running a sister show in England on the same night which will also be headlined by a major world title fight, maybe even two world title fights.
“Myself, my partner Robert Waterman and the rest of the Fight Academy team are looking at putting on at least four world title fights on May 13, perhaps more, and there will be several other fights of worldwide significance on both sides of the Atlantic. We promise boxing fans a feast of action come May.”
