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Arum say's Hatton exposed but Castillo could happen.
SecondsOut.com
By Paul Upham: Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum has said that Ricky Hatton is not the dominant force he appeared to be, but a fight with Mexico's Jose Luis Castillo was still a possibility. After his close points win over Luis Collazo on May 13 to win the WBA welterweight title, Hatton had nominated Castillo as one of the boxers at the top of his list for future fights.
"I think Hatton has been exposed pretty much as being a relatively ordinary fighter based on his last fight," Arum said on Tuesday. "I don't think he is going to be ready to fight anybody real soon as long as he can grab HBO money to fight second rate fighters."
If Castillo is able to defeat Diego Corrales in their third fight on June 3 in Las Vegas, Arum said that he was likely to move up in weight and face WBO junior welterweight Miguel Cotto from Puerto Rico on November 11.
"I think Jose Luis Castillo versus Miguel Cotto if Cotto gets by Malignaggi, is much more likely," he said. "That is the leading possibly. In this business, I can make that fight happen and I think that is a great fight. That's the date November 11."
Arum did however leave the door open for a Castillo versus Hatton clash.
"There is a possibility," he explained, "which would have to be looked at, if Ricky Hatton wants to fight Castillo and Arturo Gatti beats Carlos Baldomir and Gatti wants to fight Cotto, that I may break them up and have them fight those opponents and then fight each other. But the leading possibility is that if Jose Luis and Miguel win their next fights they will fight each other. But the alternate scenario is a possibility."
32 year-old Castillo 54-7-1 (47) feels that a fight with Hatton 41-0 (30) would appeal to boxing fans.
"I think his style and my style would make for a very explosive fight," he said, "and I am sure it would be something that people would be attracted to if it was possible to be made."
Arum's promotional company Top Rank has 25 year-old Cotto 26-0 (22) headlining his first pay-per-view card against Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden in New York and are hoping that an impressive win and significant buys will see him as a long term pay-per-view attraction.
"After that fight, it is our hope that every subsequent fight of Miguel's will be a big pay-per-view fight," said Arum. "Jose Luis having a tremendous following from Mexico and fight fans in general, will also I believe draw very well as he demonstrated the last time on pay-per-view."
Arum revealed that a Castillo versus Cotto fight would take place in Madison Square Garden. If Cotto fought Gatti, it would probably be held in Madison Square Garden or Atlantic City.
If Castillo fought 27 year-old Hatton it would most likely happen in Las Vegas or somewhere on the East Coast of the USA.
"Right now, it is not wise to look ahead more than one fight," said Arum. "Jose Luis has a tough fight with Diego Corrales on June 3 and Miguel Cotto has a tough fight against the really tremendous boxer Paul Malignaggi on June 10. Let's take a look at the situation on June 10."
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