We'll Show What Boxing's All About...
Glax0r
06 Mar 2012
We'll show what boxing's all about - Matthew Hatton looks to create positive headlines ahead of Brook bout
Matthew Hatton hopes he can help restore a more positive image of British boxing when he takes on Kell Brook a week on Saturday
Bringing back respect: Matthew Hatton looks to showcase the best of British boxing against Kell Brook Bringing back respect: Matthew Hatton looks to showcase the best of British boxing against Kell Brook Getty
Mancunian Matthew Hatton travels to enemy territory to face Sheffield's Kell Brook at the Motorpoint Arena in a keenly-anticipated 'War of the Roses' welterweight contest.
The interest in the bout should be significant and following Dereck Chisora and David Haye's infamous brawl in Munich last month, Hatton feels it is important he and Brook put on a good show to get people talking about British fighters for the right reasons again.
Referring to the incident in Germany, Hatton said: "It was a bad day for boxing.
"All sports have their controversial characters, but that was very rare in boxing and hopefully we don't see scenes like that again.
"We need a bit of edge in boxing and it is the kind of sport where tempers do fray, but that was too much a couple of weeks ago.
"Kell and I have been respectful in the build-up to this fight and fingers crossed, it will be a great fight and we will show what this great sport is all about."
The fight will be the 50th of Hatton's professional career and the 30-year-old is preparing for it feeling he still has his best years in the ring ahead of him.
Hatton was unable to make the most of his opportunity to emulate his older brother Ricky by becoming a world champion a year ago when he was beaten on points by Mexico's Saul Alvarez in a battle for the WBC light-middleweight crown.
The former European welterweight king believes his "slow-burning" career remains very much on an upward trajectory, though, and confident that he can deal with undefeated 25-year-old Brook, Hatton has his sights set on a world title shot at his regular weight after the bout.
"I think I have had a slow-burning career really," said Hatton, who had his first pro fight in 2000.
"The best years of my career have probably been the last three and I feel as if I am getting better with age.
"Even though this is my 50th contest and I'm 30 years of age, I do believe the best years are definitely ahead of me.
"If I can get past Kell, I'm confident I can secure myself another world title fight - at welterweight this time.
"The Alvarez opportunity came out of the blue and I was fighting for the light-middleweight title, a weight I had never boxed at before.
"I'm proud of what I have achieved in my career so far, but it has always been my ambition to be a world champion and I believe another opportunity will come if I beat Kell Brook."
Matthew Hatton hopes he can help restore a more positive image of British boxing when he takes on Kell Brook a week on Saturday
Bringing back respect: Matthew Hatton looks to showcase the best of British boxing against Kell Brook Bringing back respect: Matthew Hatton looks to showcase the best of British boxing against Kell Brook Getty
Mancunian Matthew Hatton travels to enemy territory to face Sheffield's Kell Brook at the Motorpoint Arena in a keenly-anticipated 'War of the Roses' welterweight contest.
The interest in the bout should be significant and following Dereck Chisora and David Haye's infamous brawl in Munich last month, Hatton feels it is important he and Brook put on a good show to get people talking about British fighters for the right reasons again.
Referring to the incident in Germany, Hatton said: "It was a bad day for boxing.
"All sports have their controversial characters, but that was very rare in boxing and hopefully we don't see scenes like that again.
"We need a bit of edge in boxing and it is the kind of sport where tempers do fray, but that was too much a couple of weeks ago.
"Kell and I have been respectful in the build-up to this fight and fingers crossed, it will be a great fight and we will show what this great sport is all about."
The fight will be the 50th of Hatton's professional career and the 30-year-old is preparing for it feeling he still has his best years in the ring ahead of him.
Hatton was unable to make the most of his opportunity to emulate his older brother Ricky by becoming a world champion a year ago when he was beaten on points by Mexico's Saul Alvarez in a battle for the WBC light-middleweight crown.
The former European welterweight king believes his "slow-burning" career remains very much on an upward trajectory, though, and confident that he can deal with undefeated 25-year-old Brook, Hatton has his sights set on a world title shot at his regular weight after the bout.
"I think I have had a slow-burning career really," said Hatton, who had his first pro fight in 2000.
"The best years of my career have probably been the last three and I feel as if I am getting better with age.
"Even though this is my 50th contest and I'm 30 years of age, I do believe the best years are definitely ahead of me.
"If I can get past Kell, I'm confident I can secure myself another world title fight - at welterweight this time.
"The Alvarez opportunity came out of the blue and I was fighting for the light-middleweight title, a weight I had never boxed at before.
"I'm proud of what I have achieved in my career so far, but it has always been my ambition to be a world champion and I believe another opportunity will come if I beat Kell Brook."
crakaveli
06 Mar 2012
'Hatton positively demolished by Brook'
There's your headline (of the tiny article, in the corner, 3 pages into the sports section of the sun)
There's your headline (of the tiny article, in the corner, 3 pages into the sports section of the sun)
