RICKY HATTON will support Stephen Foster Jr in whatever decision he makes on his future, following a shock European super-featherweight title defeat on Saturday night.
The Salford braveheart was floored five times by mandatory contender Ermano Fegatillo before losing on points in front of a sell-out 2000 crowd on Hatton Promotions quality show in the Premier Suite at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium.
Foster Jr who has been suffering from a virus since last Monday lost 114-110 and 114-109 (twice) against the slick Belgium and was left to contemplate his future.
Hatton said: “Steve can go away on holiday to Jamaica, gets his thoughts together and he will come to the right decision on where he goes from here.
“Whatever he decides, I and everybody at Hatton Promotions will support Steve.
“The Foster family have been close to me for a number of years and always will be.
Despite being under the weather, Hatton was full of praise for Fegatilli who won for the 22nd time in 26 contests
He added: “Steve hung in there like the warrior he is and never gave up, but he was up against his mandatory challenger and it was never going to be easy even if he was fully fit.”
Foster Jr was down from a left hook to the body in round nine, three times in the tenth – twice from body shots and from a right to the jaw and dumped by another body shot in round 11.
Trainer Maurice Core appeared to want to pull Foster Jr out after 11 rounds, but warrior Foster Jr refused and even won the final round.
There was bizarre and unfortunate end to Craig Lyons’s English bantamweight title defence against Josh Wale when the fight ended in a technical draw.
Referee John Keane stopped the bout in the third round because both boxers suffered terrible cuts to their left eye.
While the action lasted there was little to pick between them and a mini classic was developing. There will almost certainly be a rematch once their injuries have healed.
Four rounds are needed to be completed before the judges’ scorecards come into play, but the draw means Lyon keeps his crown.