By Mark Vester

According to a recent interview with the Manchester Evening News, Ray Hatton, the father/manager of Ricky Hatton, said an offer had been made in the past to WBC junior welterweight champion Junior Witter, who turned the offer down, and his latest demand of 30% is beyond what he's worth.

"We offered Junior Witter his highest purse he'd ever had," said Ray. "If someone offered Ricky that, I'd be insulted. But as far as Junior Witter was concerned, it was his biggest purse. It is unfortunate, but you are getting a fighter who has not captured the public's imagination. Most others would say they could live with what we offered. He can't say this, that and the other and then refuse the offer. We've taken that back now. It's gone. Now he wants 30 percent of everything that comes with a Ricky Hatton fight?"

Hatton's next bout is against Juan Lazcano on May 24 at the City of Manchester Stadium. The undercard bout will most likely feature a title defense by IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. Ray says that whoever appears in the co-feature will be Hatton's next opponent. Pursuant to a three-fight deal that Hatton will take with HBO, his next fight, following the May return, has to be in America and must come against an American opponent.

"The next fight has got to be in America and HBO want us to fight an American," said Ray. "Whoever we get on the undercard, will be his next opponent in America. We are well down the road with Malignaggi at this moment."

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