Ricky Hatton Press Conference - Images and Audio
By Arvin Nundloll 27/03/08
Ricky Hatton will be making his homecoming fight something special to the fans as a thank you gift for their continued support as he takes on Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium on May 24th.
Ricky explained how much he had longed to fight at his beloved Manchester City football club and what it means to his fans to get a chance to see the Hitman in action. Promoters Frank Maloney and Punch Promotions both explained the impact the Hitman has had with only 5,000 tickets remaining and an initial rush of up to 40,000 sold on the first day.
Frank Maloney commented "Within 24 hours, we had sold 41,000 tickets, and of today we are at 52,00 tickets, so if people want to say boxing is dying, they have to re look at the situation. This shows that if you have the right fighter and personality. Ricky is more than a boxer, he can become a celebrity."
Richard Schaefer had the following to say about Ricky outselling Oscar De La Hoya. "I'm not surprise with the ticket sales because we saw that in Las Vegas it really was a British Invasion, the venue was sold out even with 30,000 closed circuit seats, we almost had 50,000 in Las Vegas. We have sold 24,000 (for the Oscar de la Hoya fight), I know there isn't any other athlete period who has the kind of fans and support as Ricky Hatton does and I'm talking worldwide."
Ricky Hatton commentated on his first professional loss, with most of the press in support of Joe Cortez's appalling referring during that night in Vegas. "I'm looking to bouncing back from this defeat strong. My first fight at welterweight wasn't exactly a pleasant experience, it showed that I wasn't a genuine welterweight, but I moved up because of the challenge. What it taught me was I'm not quite a welterweight but it was always about the challenge so I had no fear in moving back up again.
By the halfway stage of the fight ( with Floyd Mayweather) I really felt was going to win and in the end I lost the fight as much as Floyd won it, because I got more frustrated as the fight progressed with certain things and I started to forget the sutilties like a little bit of head movement and a little more jabbing."
Also announced on the undercard is Matthew Hatton against Craig Watson which would be for the commonwealth title subject to approval. Jamie Moore will also appear on the in which Frank Maloney is pushing for the Europeantitle shot that is long overdue for Moore.
Hatton also commented to Two Dice Boxing about Maliganggi and where they stand.
"It would be a dream to top the bill at Maddison Square Garden, maybe against New Yorker Pauli Malignaggi should he win on the undercard. We've been speaking to a loa dof people, (Ricardo)Torres the WBO champion is a possibility and another possibility is to get a remtach with Floyd but obviously to get that I have to provoe myself again and re-establish with wins against Lazcano and Malignaggi and maybe a fight at Wembley would be an absolute dream and maybe Floyd would want to come over here"
"(The fight) Would be at 147, even if he couldn't do 140 we could do it at a catchweight but who am I to tell the best pound for pound fighter what weight to fight at? He's the best and I've no fear of moving up and fighting. I think strength wise I did notice the difference at welterweight but I felt good in there, I felt strong, I just got a bit frustrated and I don't think I was given the chance to fight my fight and next time I will"
Speaking on Lazcano
"Everyone is a step down from Floyd Mayweather, he's (Juan Lazcano) a good fighter, a very credible record, he's only really lost to world champions, Vivian Harris, last time out there was nothing in the fight up to a low blow in the last round. He's a very very good pedigree, comes to fight and it's all about coming back proving to people that youré back and youré back strong. I may have got beat but I'm still undefeated at Light Welterweight"
Closing on Malignaggi Hatton had the following to say:
"I think that headband and brylcream and that gel on his hair is going to do him no good when we get it on!!"
Official Press Release Courtesy of FrankMaloney.com
Frank Maloney, co-promoter of Ricky Hatton’s May 24 Manchester bout with Juan Lazcano believes the fight is a perfect example of boxing’s health.
Maloney, who is promoting the fight in association with Punch Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, said yesterday at the London press conference that formally announced the bout that with the right fighter, boxing can compete with any event.
“This is the icing on the cake, having worked with World heavyweight champions,” said Maloney, renowned for his management of Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed World heavyweight champion.
“To be involved in a top sports event such as this just shows me that boxing is alive and well – as long as you have the right boxer,” Maloney continued.
When tickets first went on sale for Hatton’s bout with Mexican born Californian Lazcano, 42,000 tickets were sold within four hours.
Sensationally, ticket sales for the fight that takes place at the City of Manchester Stadium, topped the 51,000 mark five days after going on sale which leaves just 4000 available.
This is a record number of ticket sales for an individual sportsman and beats any post-war records for an outdoor boxing event.
Tickets for the main event and full supporting card, which includes IBF light-welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi’s rematch with Australia’s Lovemore N’dou, can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.seetickets.com, www.gigsandtours.com and www.rickyhitmanhatton.com
Exclusive Interviews
Ray Hatton
Full Length Press Conference
Ricky Hatton
Frank Maloney
Craig Watson
Matthew Hatton
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