Manchester man says Kell’s preparation may suffer in big fight build-up
Matthew Hatton has warned Kell Brook that becoming a father for the first time will hurt his quest to win the battle of Britain’s best Welterweights.
Hatton and Brook clash at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield on March 17 live on Sky Sports, where the spotlight will be on the unbeaten Sheffield star in his biggest headline show to date. Hatton believes that the pressure to perform coupled with becoming a Dad for the first time could be too much for the 25 year-old.
Both men are due to have baby girls in the build-up to the fight – with Kell’s partner Lindsey due in mid February and Hatton’s partner Jenna early March. But while Hatton has already experienced training for a fight while become a father, he believes Kell’s plans could be thrown into chaos as he enters parenthood.
“Jenna and I have gone through it all before so there will be nothing new there for us,” said Hatton. “But for Kell it’s a new experience becoming a father for the first time. It’s absolutely amazing of course, but it’s a real shock and it takes some getting used to. It can be a really difficult period and it’s hard to stay focussed on the training. But sometimes in life there are more important things than boxing and being a father is one of them. When you bring kids into the world you have to provide for them so it’s a motivation for the training and the fight as you are doing it for their future.”
Jenna is due to give birth to a baby girl on March 4, just 13 days before he meets Brook in the huge Welterweight clash at the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield, live on Sky Sports. Hatton has been in this situation before when Jenna was carrying their son Jack as he was preparing to face Craig Watson for the Commonwealth title in Manchester in 2008.
“It wasn’t a great performance against Craig,” admitted Hatton. “Jack was about three months old then so it was a difficult time and it definitely affected my performance – and it will have an effect on Kell.”
While Hatton has learnt how to juggle preparing for fatherhood and preparing for a major fight, Brook faces the same scenario for the first time and Hatton says it will be a tricky time for the unbeaten Sheffield star.
“Our baby girl is due on March 4, but Jack was two weeks late. If she goes two weeks over with the new baby it’ll be the day after the fight, so she’s sweating a bit. Jenna’s a massive support for my career and she represented Great Britain and England in a number of swimming events so as an athlete herself, Jenna knows the dedication involved and the pressures you are under ahead of competing. She was never a boxing fan before we met but she loves her boxing now and she’s more keen on Saturday Fight Night than me to be honest!”
Jenna has left her part-time job as a learning mentor for kids in Salford to go on maternity leave, and as she gets close to her due date, Hatton said he may be tempted to include her into to his preparation.
“She’s quite big now, I think she’s up to about Cruiserweight so we’ve been having a laugh about that around the house!” said Hatton. “I’m into camp now, roadwork is underway and I start sparring next week so I had a good Christmas but it’s great being back in the gym and we’re just going to start upping it and upping it as the weeks go on, but the start has been fantastic.”
Tickets priced £30 (tiered), £40 (tiered), £60 (tiered/floor) and £100 (ringside) are available from the Motorpoint Arena Sheffield Box Office on 0114 256 5656 or online at www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk
VIP tickets have now sold-out.
RESULTS OFFICIAL WEIGH IN SAN JUAN BOXIING NIGHTS FROM PUERTO RICO, TOMORROW AT COLISEO PEDRIN ZORRILLA ON TELEFUTURA’S SOLO BOXEO TECATE SHOW
PR BEST BOXING PROMOTIONS INC.
“San Juan Boxing Nights”
Saturday, January 21, 2012
COLISEO PEDRIN ZORRILLA, SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO
ON TELEFUTURA’S SOLO BOXEO TECATE
BLUE RED
(116bs – 10 Rounds)
JAVIER GALLO – 116 lbs. VS. DAVID QUIJANO – 115 lbs.
Tijuana, México (18-4-1, 10KOs) Caguas, Puerto Rico (13-2-1, 9KOs)
(135lbs – 6 Rounds)
EDGARDO RIVERA – 130 lbs. VS. REGINO CANALES – 134 lbs.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico (6-1, 5KOs) San Juan, Puerto Rico (3-2)
(140lbs – 4 Rounds)
RADAMÉS VÉLEZ – 140 lbs. VS. RAFAEL GONZÁLEZ – 138 lbs.
Yauco, Puerto Rico (1-3, 1 KOs) Caguas, Puerto Rico (6-0, 5KOs)
(136lbs – 4 Rounds)
ANDY CRESPO – 135 lbs. VS. JUSSEIN CRUZ – 136 lbs.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico (Pro Debut) San Juan, Puerto Rico (Pro Debut)
(131lbs – 4 Rounds)
EMMANUEL SANTOS – 129 lbs. VS. JESÚS PASTRANA – 131 lbs.
Morovis, Puerto Rico (Pro Debut) San Juan, Puerto Rico (1-0)
(138lbs – 4 Rounds)
MATHEW ROBINSON – 138 lbs. VS. REYNALDO OJEDA – 138 lbs.
Barbados (3-3, 1KOs) Canóvanas, Puerto Rico (5-0, 2KOs)
(131lbs – 4 Rounds)
JOSÉ SANTIAGO – 131 lbs. VS. IVÁN VÁZQUEZ – 130 lbs.
Vega Baja, Puerto Rico (0-1) Humacao, Puerto Rico (0-0-1)
PROMOTER: PR BEST BOXING PROMOTIONS
TV: TELEFUTURA’S SOLO BOXEO TECATE (11:00 P.M. ET)
PROSPECT MCWILLIAMS ARROYO (9-1, 8 KOS) WILL NOT FIGHT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMAS WITH FELIPE RIVAS’ VISA. ARROYO WILL FIGHT IN SOME OF THE PR BEST BOXING PROMOTIONS NEXT SHOWS
Prospect Boxing: Stacked Wishaw Feb 24th Card Nears Completion
After a busy 2011, Paul Graham’s Prospect Boxing shows no sign of slowing down as they announce there first show of 2012 ,which will take place on Friday Febuary 24th at Wishaw Sports Centre, with doors opening at 6.30.
In a co-promotion with Chris Gilmour, the stacked card will feature 7 bouts,with Coatbridges Eddie Doyle headlining with a challenge for the vacant British Masters Light Welterweight and also features Irish undefeated Light Middleweight Alan Donnellan, opponents for both fighters will be announced soon.
Closer to home, the card will see the Motherwell’s Steven Banks take on the experienced Duncan Cottier, and undefeated flyweight Iain Butcher looks to build on his December victory over Darren Pryce,by taking on Andy Roberts and steps it up a level by competing in his first 6 x 3 contest.
After being out for the latter part of the year, Paul Allison looks to extend his impressive 5-0 by taking on the Essex’s experienced journeyman Danny Brown, meanwhile Castlemilk’s Gary McCallum looks to go 2-0 by taking on experienced Wishaw local Kenny Davidson,both contest are 6 x 2.And completing the line up, Barry Craig takes on Giuseppe Daprato in a lightweight contest.
Tickets are priced £30 and £40 ringside and are available from the boxers, or calling 01698 338 888 . More details are available from www.prospectboxing.co.uk and www.facebook.com/ProspectBoxing or on Twitter @Prospectboxing.