By Mark Vester
British junior welterweight Dean Harrison will have more than enough motivation when Ricky Hatton sits ringside at the Civic Hall next Sunday to watch the young fighter challenge Ben Lawler for the Midlands title. Harrison, 26, is coming off a bad third round TKO loss to Darren Askew. He wants to make things right by beating Lawler, the favorite, for the title. Hatton has done a lot for Harrison over the years. He even placed Harrison on the undercard of his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas back in 2007.
“To this date, Ricky is my favourite boxer and someone I have looked up to all of my career. I take inspiration from him, if I can achieve any of what he has I will be happy with that," Harrison tells Express and Stars.
“His family have done a lot for me. Whatever happens to me now, whether I get the British title or not, at least I can always say that I boxed in Las Vegas, and that is something that no-one can ever take away from me. I have the Hattons to thank for that. It was unbelievable, the best experience of my life.”
Harrison is back with trainer Lee Beard. After a train wreck of a year in 2009, he wants to bring his career back from the bottom in 2010.
“I wouldn’t have wished the year I had last year on my worst enemy, but going back with Lee is the best thing I have done in a long time. But I can’t stay at light welter, I just can’t do the weight anymore. We have agreed 100 per cent that I have got to move up after this fight. With a winning finish, I could drop the belt and then take Dave Ryan’s Midlands welterweight title away from him, that is what I am hoping for,” Harrison said.
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