Hatton Stops Tszyu

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Ricky Hatton won the IBF light-welterweight title after battering Kostya Tszyu until he retired at the end of the 11th round.

Tszyu, 35, struggled to keep up with the Englishman's tireless pace and by the 11th round was so demoralized he admitted to the inevitable and quit on his stool.

Tszyu was left looking for a knock-out punch as the fight entered the latter rounds and decided to surrender the title he first won ten years ago after failing to repel Hatton's attacks.

Tszyu did not hurt Hatton, who rocked his opponent with a left hook and straight right in the tenth round that perhaps persuaded Tszyu his fourth defense was a lost cause.

Hatton may have been fighting in his first major world title fight but he dominated from the first bell, never allowing Tszyu to settle and landing by far the more punches.

"I said I would be number one and my fans deserve it. They have been legendary. If I could be half the champion Kostya Tszyu was I would be happy," Hatton said.

"We acted like two champions and to beat someone like him is like the end of the rainbow stuff. I knew I would take a few shots but I knew I just had to get through the first five rounds but I showed my smartness and style.

"I've only just reached my peak. I have become a champion and now I want to become a great champion."

Tszyu said: "I'm a proud man, a very proud man. Maybe I have finished my career, maybe not but tonight Ricky was the best fighter. I'm a very physical fighter but tonight Ricky was better than me everywhere."

The dethroned champion left the venue soon after the second defeat of his 33-fight career, leaving it to his promoter Vlad Warton to reveal it was trainer Johnny Lewis's decision to retire at the end of the 11th round.

"He has lost in the past and come back but we will have to see this time," Warton said.

"Now is not the right time. We will have to go home and think things through.

"We will know in the next week or so. He felt he allowed Ricky to fight his style. I don't think Kostya would underestimate anyone. I don't think it's age."

Tszyu made his way to the ring at the cavernous city centre venue amid a cacophony of boos after Hatton had entered to deafening cheers from his home supporters for his first shot a major world title.

Hatton, who has made 15 defenses of the fringe WBU title, was facing his toughest opponent after stopping 28 of his previous 38 fights.

But the challenger was hardly intimidated by Tszyu and quickly settled into his pressuring style of body punching and high work-rate.

Tszyu found himself penned against the ropes for much of the second round where Hatton had some success with some right upper-cuts inside.

Hatton landed the more punches in the first half of the fight to send him into a points lead and in the fourth connected with a hurtful left hook while Tszyu could only swing at air in the fifth.

It left Tszyu searching for - and needing - a knock-out punch as the fight entered its second half with Hatton seemingly ahead on points.

By the seventh round Tszyu was cut below his left eye but he was having more success at scoring punches but Hatton's pace was not about to drop off.

Hatton had his best round in the tenth when he staggered Tszyu with a left hook and a straight right which left the Russian-born needing to deliver a knock-out in the final round to be assured of retaining his title.

But after being unable to penetrate Hatton's incessant attack to land any threatening punches of his own as the challenger piled on more punishment, Tszyu opted to retire on the advice of Lewis.

Hatton can now look forward to a possible meeting with the winner of Canada's WBC champion Arturo Gatti against American Floyd Mayweather Junior in Atlantic City on June 25, or a title-unification clash with Puerto Rico's WBO champion Miguel Cotto.

His promoter Frank Warren said: "He beat the guy who was one of the top three in the best pound-for-pound ratings.

"Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather and Arturo Gatti have not beat Tszyu, but he has. He is the man to beat now. It's one of the best performances I have seen."

Phil Banerjee
Contributing Editor

Information from other publications and wire services was used in the compilation of this report.