By Terence Dooley
Matthew Hatton's dreams of fighting Zab Judah now lie in tatters; the younger Hatton is, instead, going to take on IBO welterweight title holder Lovemore Ndou. Team Hatton are in talks with Ndou, with a deal set to be finalized over the weekend. Hatton has told the Thameside Reporter that they would not move down to 140lb to fight Zab.
“Judah would have had all the advantages anyway fighting in his home town and having boxed at a higher level but I wasn’t going to step down a weight,” stressed Hatton. “The last few weeks have been absolutely ridiculous but until I see Lovemore’s name on a contract, I’m not taking anything for granted.”
The contest with Lovemore has been mooted for some time; indeed, Hatton defeated Ted Bami in March to secure a shot at the title. Matthew is currently ranked at 55 in the IBO rankings, he is clearly eligible for this shot, or maybe not, as the IBO website states that their champions must take on fighters ranked within the top 50.
Fortunately, the IBO also stipulate that title shots can be given out at their own discretion, meaning Hatton, despite his relatively low ranking, can challenge Ndou, who is ranked at 27 in the latest rankings; clearly, this ‘best versus best’ showdown will only add to the legitimacy of the IBO welterweight title.
Please send news and views to neckodeemus@hotmail.co.uk
