Hatton's fan base returns one year after the British boxer's loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
**** Todays Tip ****
(Its not just live on TV)
Ricky Hatton makes his return to the MGM Grand boxing ring tonight in a 12-round match that has given his dedicated and noisy fan base another reason to depart Manchester, England, in early winter.
Almost a year ago, Dec. 8, 2007, Hatton battled Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a welterweight title fight that received international attention, not only for the quality of competition, but also for the size and volume of Hatton's fan base.
Mayweather stopped Hatton with a flurry of shots in the 10th round of that one and retired (for the moment) with an unbeaten record.Hatton, 30, kept going, beating Juan Lazcano in England in May to bring his record to 44-1.
His opponent tonight will be Brooklyn fighter Paulie Malignaggi, who has also lost only once, in 26 fights, and who may have been most impressive in his 12-round loss in June 2006 to Miguel Cotto. Malignaggi will turn 28 Sunday. Hatton's 44 victories have included 31 knockouts. Malignaggi's 25 victories have included five knockouts.
Hatton hit the 140-pound match weight on the number at Friday's weigh-in, and Malignaggi was a pound below at 139. As it did when Hatton took on Mayweather, the weigh-in crowd belonged to Hatton.
They cheered him, sang songs about him, mugged for any camera they could find and kept the beer vendors busy. The crowd was slightly smaller than last year's for Hatton-Mayweather. Officials said tickets were still available.
STATS...
RICKY HATTON (IBO and Ring magazine light-welterweight title holder)
Age: 30
Nickname: The Hitman
Hometown: Manchester
Pro Record: W44 L1 (31KOs)
Weight: 10st
Height: 5ft 7in
Reach: 65in
Neck: 15in
Chest (normal): 37in
Chest (expanded): 39in
Biceps: 13in
Forearm: 9.5in
Wrist: 7in
Fist: 11.5in
Waist: 30in
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
(Former IBF light-welterweight champion)
Age: 27
Nickname: Magic Man
Hometown: New York
Pro Record: W25 L1 (5KOs)
Weight: 10st
Height: 5ft 8.5in
Reach: 70in
Neck: 15in
Chest (normal): 38in
Chest (expanded): 40.5in
Biceps: 12.75in
Forearm: 11.5in
Wrist: 6.75in
Fist: 10.75in
Waist: 30.5in
