Hitman Hatton at large

by David O´Swan

24.03 - The majority of current and former world boxing champions have usually had a nemesis they could rely on to push them to the limits of their boxing expertise.

Mohammed Ali , has freely admitted that without the spur of fighting Joe Frazier in the early seventies, that he may not have gone on to become the legend that he is today.

Throughout the eighties -a golden age for middleweights, Sugar Ray Leonard seemed galvanized by rivals Duran, Hearns and Hagler, culminating in Leonard's controversial points victory over the then undefeated 'Marvellous' Marvin back in 1987.

More recently, Lennox Lewis has mastered Evander Holyfield, and in June of last year disposed of a spent Mike Tyson, both former champs who have pushed and goaded Lewis into the iconic position he enjoys today amongst the world heavyweight division.

So, when Ricky Hatton climbs into the ring at the Manchester Evening News arena on April 5th, he will be aware that his bitter rival and probable summer opponent Junior Witter will be fighting on the under-card as a prelude to the 'Hitmans' defence of his WBU light-welterweight crown against American veteran Vince Phillips.

It will come as a surprise though, to some UK fight-fans, that Witter is hoping that Hatton disposes of the 39-year-old former IBF champion as expected, with the pair pencilled in for a possible July showdown at Manchester City's Maine road football stadium-providing Witter also overcomes Jurgen Haek , the Belgian, who as European champion will be making the first defence of his title.

Commonwealth champion Witter, has been slating Hatton for some time now, but admits he will be secretly rooting for his archenemy, "even though it hurts me to say it, I hope Hatton beats Phillips because it will hurt me even more if he loses," said Witter.

"it's in my best interests to see him win and I hope he does a great job on Phillips because it will set up our fight."

Witter, nevertheless, feels that Hatton may be vulnerable to the American's best punches, " I have waited for three years to get my chance against Hatton, and it's so close now," added Witter.

"Our fight is scheduled to take place this summer, and it could all be put in jeopardy if he gets beaten."

Hatton meanwhile, will not be underestimating Phillips - a fighter whose record speaks for itself, but he knows a top performance against an established class act could catapult him into the lucrative market stateside, a view endorsed by his promoter and manager Frank Warren, who said : "if Ricky come through this fight unscathed , everybody who matters in the States will be talking about him. This is a big opportunity for him to impress and he knows it."

Warren's warrior has been accumulating an admiring audience over the last eighteen months or so, non least from Phillips' own promoter -the great Sugar Ray Leonard , who predict the fight could be a classic, and he says he is not going to miss the chance to be ringside for the WBU title clash, adding : "it's a very interesting and intriguing match-up.

"Vince is very much in the twilight of his career, so he needs to win this one to get back into contention.

"And in Ricky Hatton we have a young man who sees the opportunity of beating a guy who has been a world champion and beat Kostya Tszyu, and who he can take advantage of and put himself right up there.

"Experience will be a key factor, and it depends on who initiates the pace of the fight.

"Vince will look to control things from first to last, and Ricky must come out blasting away, trying to slow Vince down ."

Phillips, whose last fight was a points loss to former WBA champ, Sharmba Mitchell, echoed Leonard , saying : "I'm looking at Ricky as a Rocky Marciano to my Joe Louis -it's going to be a very interesting fight."

But Phillips, the only man to have beaten the undisputed light-welterweight champion Tszyu, back in 1997, had some advice and a warning for his young British opponent, hinting that Hatton may have to adopt a more measured approach , if he is to seize the title from one of the worlds best pound for pound fighters.

He said: "I made Kostya miss, and when I made him miss, I made him pay for it. "I knew that his style was the type of style that all Europeans have -except Ricky.

"They put their hand out and leave their body open, so if you take the body they drop their hands and leave the head open for what I have.

"I had to go up and down, with the right hand from the jab, set it out with the jab - pow - right to the body, get back to the head, mix it up.

"That was a great fight for us , it worked and it could work for Hatton -but he has to get past me first."

Phillips, has fought adversity on more than one level, conquering drug addiction as well as mixing it up with some of the worlds top fighters.

A heavy hitter in his own right, he should prove a tough nut to crack for the talented Hatton, who will be making the ninth defence of his WBU junior light-welterweight title.

However, Hatton's boyhood hero was the great Roberto Duran, and by the tenth round, it may well be, that the 'Hitman's' ferocious armoury of body punches will have taken their toll on the ageing Phillips', with a cry of 'no mas' from the American's corner a realistic possibility, on what promises to be a night of high drama.