MATTHEW HATTON believes he is bang on course to face Amir Khan in a blockbuster Battle of Britain.
International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) light-welterweight champion Khan wants to launch his welterweight career next year and Hatton is a possible opponent.
‘Magic’ Matthew challenges unbeaten Belarussian Andrei Abramenka for the vacant IBF intercontinental welterweight championship at Blackpool’s Tower Circus on Friday night (Aug 19).
It is the Manchester man’s first fight since going down on points to Mexican sensation Saul Alvarez in a WBC light-middleweight title bout in March.
Hatton who has tasted defeat five times in 48 fights said: “I would be absolutely up for the Khan fight, although I don’t look past any opponent.
“I am a firm believer in looking at the next fight and use big fights as the motivation to get the job done.
“I am not afraid to fight the best. I went over to Los Angles and fought Saul Alvarez so if an opportunity arises to take on a great fighter like Amir I would jump at the chance.
“You have to aim for these big fights and I am one of the best welterweights out there right now.”
And Hatton, 30 revealed he could even be defending a world title against his Bolton rival.
He added: “Hatton Promotions are confident they will get me a world title opportunity by the end of the year.
“I would love a crack at WBA title holder Vyacheslav Senchenko or interim champion Ismael El Massoudi.
“Amir says he moving up to welterweight and obviously if I can get hold of a world title it would be a natural – a big fight in this country.”
On the Blackpool card local Central Area cruiserweight champion Matty Askin meets tough Argentinian Juan Manuel Garay.
Askin’s occasional sparring partner, Rik Turba is up against Dutchman Mitchell Balker over eight rounds
Other prospects on the bill include welterweight hopeful Adam Little who tackles Liam Griffiths and middleweight Tom Scott whose debut opponent is Bobby Wood.
In a six round bantamweight attraction Kazakhstan’s Zhanat Zhakyanov faces Anwar Alfadi.
The show promoted by Robert Waterman will be televised live by Eurosport and ticket are available prices £35, £55 and £75 VIP from 01925 755222 and www.ticketline.co.uk
Team Trout: What is Anthony Mundine Talking About? He Backed Out on Us!!!
The problem with former world champion Anthony Mundine’s claims that he is being ducked by World Boxing Association (WBA) Light Middleweight champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout is that when Mundine’s people backed out of the fight, they did it in writing.
Trout (23-0, 13 KOs) and his promoter, Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions, say they are aggravated and disgusted by Mundine’s fraudulent claims that it was them who backed out of a proposed fight. Mundine recently announced a deal to face Rigoberto Alvarez on September 21 for the WBA interim championship.
“I don’t mind he ducked me to fight somebody else, but don’t go to the press and say it’s the other way around. At least let’s be honest if you don’t want to fight me,” said a still incredulous Trout. “Fight me or admit it’s you who doesn’t want to fight. Stop pretending. I’ll fight you any time.”
“We’d be happy to furnish the emails from his manager/promoter,” adds Cohen. “We came to an agreement and I said ‘are we in agreement on this, this, this and this? He said ‘all good.’ I sent the contract and didn’t hear from him until I got another email saying ‘the new WBA rankings just came out and Anthony has moved from #3 to #1, so we’re backing out of the deal. In the deal we came up with, I was only getting one option on Mundine, but they didn’t want to give us any options. Now that their guy is the mandatory, they don’t have to give us options. So, they made a business decision and backed out… how Anthony Mundine then comes up with these outlandish stories about us changing contracts and hiding from him and all this other stuff is beyond me.”
Trout, who successfully defended his title against Sonora, Mexico’s David “The Destroyer” Lopez (40-13, 23 KOs) on June 11 at the Auditorio Miguel Barragan in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has been actively looking for a worthy foe for his elective title defense and says it’s crazy to suggest he’s avoiding anyone.
“I’ll still fight him as a mandatory. I don’t care. I’ll fight him any time. If he wants to duck me, that’s up to him, but don’t blame it on me and try to tarnish my reputation. I’m not avoiding anyone. I’m right here saying let’s get it on! I will fight anyone, anywhere, call my promoter to make your offer!”
Balker vs.Turba on Friday
London based Dutch Cruiserweight prospect Mitchell Balker is back in action this coming Friday, when he faces tough Blackpool based Slovakian Richard Turba at the Robert Waterman Promotions event at the Tower Circus in Blackpool.
Balker will be looking to put on a top class performance, against Turba, in preparation for his upcoming challenge for the Netherlands Cruiserweight title, on October 4th in Amsterdam, and his participating in the inaugural Maltese professional boxing event ten days later on October 14th.
Following a training session, at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, on Monday Balker spoke briefly on the upcoming clash with Turba, as well as his upcoming international bouts, “I think it’s going to be a very exciting fight for the public.
It’s going to be a good fight, definitely a very good fight, I’m looking
forward to it.
I’m just going to do my job, win the fight and it’s definitely going to be a good win for the TRAD TKO gym, definitely.
I’m looking forward to the fight in Malta, it’s already on BoxRec. It’s going to be another very good fight because it will get me ready for the big fights and of course looking forward to the Amsterdam fight, my first title fight.
That’s going to be three fights already, that’s very good, that’s what I’m here for, that’s why I stay in shape, for this kind of times. I’m looking forward to it.”
Mitchell Balker versus Richard Turba will be supporting Matthew Hatton versus Andrei Abramenka for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) International Welterweight title at the Robert Waterman Promotions event at the Tower Circus, Blackpool, on Friday 19th August 2011.