Tales From The Other Side...of The Atlantic 5.28.09: Matthew Hatton in Vegas, Fury Impresses, More
Posted by David M. Lee on 05.28.2009
Matthew Hatton gets dream date in Vegas, Fury continues to impress, Froch's next fight and more
Matthew Hatton Gets Dream Date With Judah
Ricky Hatton's younger brother Matthew will get the chance to salvage some family pride in Las Vegas when he takes on former two-weight champion Zab Judah on July 18th. The contest will take place on the undercard to Floyd Mayweather v Juan Manuel Marquez. The fight was meant to happen on the South Point card on May 1st but ended up falling through. It represents a major step up in class for Hatton the younger. "Zab may not be as good as he was five years ago but he's still a terrific fighter," Hatton told Boxing News. "In the past I've dropped to the level of my opponent, but I'm relishing being the underdog. At my best, there's not many out there that can beat me." We shall see. Certainly, considering how domestic level operator Craig Watson easily outboxed Matthew over twelve rounds last year, Judah will start a heavy favourite.
Fury Continues to Look the Business
On paper it was his toughest test to date, but heavyweight sensation Tyson Fury hardly broke sweat as he demolished Belfast's Scott Belshaw in two rounds last Saturday night. Although Belshaw stood almost eye-to-eye with the massive Fury, he was simply not in the Englishman's class. After a one-sided first round, Fury ended matters in the second with a devastating body shot that forced the Irishman to double over in agony. In the post-fight interview, Fury made it clear who his next target is. "Get Derek Chisora in the ring and I'll knock him out like I did Belshaw," he said. One suspects that the overhyped, in this writer's opinion, Chisora will not be in too much of a hurry to share a ring with the Manchester man-mountain.
McCloskey Vacates British Title - And Gets European Title Opportunity
Dungiven light-welterweight Paul McCloskey, one of boxing's best kept secrets, has given up his British title so he can face former WBA champion Souleymane M'baye for the vacant European title. Unfortunately this means we will not get to see the much anticipated fight between McCloskey and commonwealth champion Ajose Olusegun. The ultra-talented Olusegun will now get the chance to contest the vacant British title when he takes on Barry Morrison on June 12th. M'Baye was once a world-class operator but looked a pale shadow of his former self back in December when he received a ridiculous decision victory over Welshman Barrie Jones. McCloskey should be too sharp for the aging Frenchman.
Rogan Set For Sexton Rematch
It looks as though as Martin Rogan will get the chance to avenge his controversial defeat to Sam Sexton later this year. Rogan lost his commonwealth heavyweight title to Sexton two weeks ago in Belfast after the referee stopped the bout due to the Irishman's badly swollen left eye, when only moments earlier he had Sexton out on his feet but strangely backed off rather than finishing the Norwich man off. Frank Warren, who couldn't attend the fight due to a bad back, has said he wants to see a rematch happen.
Froch v Bute?
Latest word on Carl Froch is that the WBC super-middleweight champion could be in line for a unification match with IBF champ Lucian Bute. If the fight comes off it will most likely take place in Froch's hometown of Nottingham sometime in September.
