Matthew Hatton: “Winning prestigious European title will be a great achievement”
By Lee Collier
Matthew Hatton gets the chance to become the welterweight champion of Europe when he faces veteran Italian Gianluca Branco on the 26th March on the undercard of the Anthony Small and Sam Webb’s British light-middleweight title fight. The fight came out of the blue and was a shock to many, including Hatton himself.
“It was a big shock and it really did come out of the blue,” beamed an ecstatic Hatton to BoxingScene.com.
“I am lucky in the fact that I didn’t box too long ago and feel in great shape. I had a little time out of the gym and I have only had 2½ weeks notice for the fight but sometimes in boxing these opportunities come up and it was too good of a chance to miss out on. I am in good shape from my last fight and my weights good so I thought ‘why not’.”
Hatton is feeling in ready to fight 12 rounds and is working under a new trainer in the vastly experienced Bob Shannon after recently splitting with Lee Beard. This fight will be Hatton’s second under Shannon having trained for two weeks together before the Mikheil Khutsishvili fight, which Hatton won via a fifth round stoppage.
“Things are going well with Bob. I only had a couple of weeks with him for my last fight and I was looking forward to having a long camp for my next fight so we could gel together but circumstances haven’t allowed that to happen,” revealed Hatton.
“We are getting long well and Bob is bringing new things to my training and everything is going well. Ideally, we would have liked more time but sometimes these things happen. I am lucky I don’t have a job outside boxing so for me my job is to be a fighter all year round. If you aren’t in good shape and you get a chance like this and you wasn’t fit or couldn’t make weight you’d be kicking yourself,” opined Hatton.
“I have everything to gain and nothing to lose. I will have a good week’s sparring and whilst it won’t be as much as I want my fitness is good at the minute.”
Winning the European title will be no easy task for Hatton as he is required to beat a vastly experienced Italian in Gianluca Branco. Whilst the 39-year-old fighter may not be at his peak anymore it must be remembered that he has faced the likes of the Arturo Gatti and Miguel Angel Cotto, Hatton is giving Branco his full attention.
“I know a lot about Branco and have a lot of respect for him,” revealed a respectful Hatton. “He is an excellent fighter with a good reputation and he’s only lost two in 46 contests and he’s a former European light-welterweight champion. His only losses came at the top against Cotto and Gatti so he has boxed at the top level.”
Hatton then continued, “He is a world class opponent and although he is no spring chicken at 39, I don’t see that as an issue. I mean look at the likes of Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins who at their age are at the top of the game so I’m not putting a huge factor on his age and it’s a fight I do fancy and I am going into with confidence.”
The Italian had been scheduled to fight Ukrainian Yuri Nuzhnenko back in February before the fight fell through due to a lack of money. The Ukrainian has agreed to step aside so Hatton and Branco can fight for the vacant title under the condition that he gets a crack at the winner.
“The winner has to fight Nuzhnenko, as a champion you have to defend against who is next in line and the European is a fantastic belt to hold. Nuzhnenko has stepped aside to allow this fight to happen and sometimes you get some people who try and use bargains and then they try and renege on the promise but that won’t happen with this fight. I’ll fulfil the obligation and face Nuzhnenko,” promised Hatton.
Hatton’s last major fight was a controversial draw with Lovemore N’Dou for the IBO welterweight title back in November. The 28-year-old Manchester boxer is hoping that becoming European champion will open doors for another crack on the world scene. There was a muted rematch with N’Dou, which seems to have slipped by the wayside, and Hatton is unfazed by the whole situation.
“I am not too bothered about rematching N’dou as I felt I proved myself and I won that fight so I don’t care about him anymore,” declared Hatton.
“Whilst I would fight him again he is not the top of my priority and I need to concentrate on the Branco fight. Winning the European belt will give me some big fights and the European title is very prestigious and it would be a wonderful achievement, that’s all I’m worrying about at the minute.”
