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Hatton will defend title against Ndou-Rabah winner
(I was supposed to put a question mark after 'winner' 
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Ricky Hatton has decided to retain his IBF junior welterweight world title by agreeing to fight the winner of Naoufel Ben Rabah and Lovemore Ndou next. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) had been insisting that Hatton commit to facing his mandatory title defence, instead of the proposed clash with Mexican Jose Luis Castillo which was to go ahead in the USA in June.
********** has learnt that Hatton's UK promoter Denis Hobson contacted IBF President Marian Muhammad on Friday USA time and advised that Hatton will defend against the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou in June, most likely in the UK. Providing he were to win, Hatton would then face Jose Luis Castillo in November on one of two HBO dates offered to Hobson.
Muhammad called IBF supervisor Ray Wheatley in Australia on Saturday morning Sydney time and directed that the IBF No.4 rated Ben Rabah-IBF No.3 Ndou fight to be held at Homebush on Sunday afternoon was to be an official IBF eliminator for the mandatory No.1 position, as originally arranged.
The Hatton and Castillo co-feature on January 20 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, had been presented by HBO as the final step before the two boxers meeting either on June 2 or 23. ********** was unable to contact any HBO Executives for comment at this time due to the late Friday night hour in the USA, New York time.
Top Rank CEO Todd duBoef, who promotes Castillo, was shocked to hear of Hatton's decision when contacted by ********** late on Friday evening.
"That is news to us. I never heard anything of that," he said.
DuBoef said he could not understand why Hatton was talking about fighting the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou next when he already had a contract to fight Castillo.
"It would be pretty strange," he said, "when they have executed contracts with Top Rank. It's news to me. We have a contract."
It is also understood that the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas had already been agreed upon by Hatton and Castillo's promoters as the venue for the fight.
When Castillo defeated Herman Ngoudjo on January 20 in a official WBC junior welterweight eliminator, Top Rank and his management team subsequently declined a chance to fight current WBC world champion Junior Witter to instead fight Hatton in June.
Ben Rabah's American agent Sampson Lewkowicz told ********** late on Friday evening that IBF President Muhammad had assured him that Hatton would definitely fight the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou next.
"I spoke with Marian on Friday at lunch time," he said, "and she had explained that Hatton's promoter Denis Hobson had rung saying that Hatton will be very proud to defend the IBF title against his mandatory contender next."
********** will be seeking comment from promoter Denis Hobson when he wakes on Saturday morning UK time.
********** reported on Tuesday that IBF President Marian Muhammad initially received a telephone call from Hatton's American co-promoter Art Pelullo on Monday advising that Hatton's father Ray would be writing to advise that the "Hitman" from Manchester would be relinquishing the IBF title to fight Mexican Jose Luis Castillo in June. A little later Muhammad then received a call from Richard Poxson, part of Hatton's management team in the UK, who advised that Hatton has been offered the Castillo fight and the boxer and his team are having a meeting on Thursday night to see if they will accept it.
President Muhammad told ********** on Monday that it was not possible for Hatton to fight Castillo first in June, even if he were to commit to fighting the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou immediately after.
"No, he can't do that," she had said, "because when Juan Urango fought him, Juan Urango fought him on an exemption because the mandatory was already due. You can't get two exemptions to further delay a mandatory. If Ricky Hatton says he will fight Castillo next, I will have to vacate the title."
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Ricky Hatton has decided to retain his IBF junior welterweight world title by agreeing to fight the winner of Naoufel Ben Rabah and Lovemore Ndou next. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) had been insisting that Hatton commit to facing his mandatory title defence, instead of the proposed clash with Mexican Jose Luis Castillo which was to go ahead in the USA in June.
********** has learnt that Hatton's UK promoter Denis Hobson contacted IBF President Marian Muhammad on Friday USA time and advised that Hatton will defend against the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou in June, most likely in the UK. Providing he were to win, Hatton would then face Jose Luis Castillo in November on one of two HBO dates offered to Hobson.
Muhammad called IBF supervisor Ray Wheatley in Australia on Saturday morning Sydney time and directed that the IBF No.4 rated Ben Rabah-IBF No.3 Ndou fight to be held at Homebush on Sunday afternoon was to be an official IBF eliminator for the mandatory No.1 position, as originally arranged.
The Hatton and Castillo co-feature on January 20 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, had been presented by HBO as the final step before the two boxers meeting either on June 2 or 23. ********** was unable to contact any HBO Executives for comment at this time due to the late Friday night hour in the USA, New York time.
Top Rank CEO Todd duBoef, who promotes Castillo, was shocked to hear of Hatton's decision when contacted by ********** late on Friday evening.
"That is news to us. I never heard anything of that," he said.
DuBoef said he could not understand why Hatton was talking about fighting the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou next when he already had a contract to fight Castillo.
"It would be pretty strange," he said, "when they have executed contracts with Top Rank. It's news to me. We have a contract."
It is also understood that the Thomas & Mack Centre in Las Vegas had already been agreed upon by Hatton and Castillo's promoters as the venue for the fight.
When Castillo defeated Herman Ngoudjo on January 20 in a official WBC junior welterweight eliminator, Top Rank and his management team subsequently declined a chance to fight current WBC world champion Junior Witter to instead fight Hatton in June.
Ben Rabah's American agent Sampson Lewkowicz told ********** late on Friday evening that IBF President Muhammad had assured him that Hatton would definitely fight the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou next.
"I spoke with Marian on Friday at lunch time," he said, "and she had explained that Hatton's promoter Denis Hobson had rung saying that Hatton will be very proud to defend the IBF title against his mandatory contender next."
********** will be seeking comment from promoter Denis Hobson when he wakes on Saturday morning UK time.
********** reported on Tuesday that IBF President Marian Muhammad initially received a telephone call from Hatton's American co-promoter Art Pelullo on Monday advising that Hatton's father Ray would be writing to advise that the "Hitman" from Manchester would be relinquishing the IBF title to fight Mexican Jose Luis Castillo in June. A little later Muhammad then received a call from Richard Poxson, part of Hatton's management team in the UK, who advised that Hatton has been offered the Castillo fight and the boxer and his team are having a meeting on Thursday night to see if they will accept it.
President Muhammad told ********** on Monday that it was not possible for Hatton to fight Castillo first in June, even if he were to commit to fighting the winner of Ben Rabah and Ndou immediately after.
"No, he can't do that," she had said, "because when Juan Urango fought him, Juan Urango fought him on an exemption because the mandatory was already due. You can't get two exemptions to further delay a mandatory. If Ricky Hatton says he will fight Castillo next, I will have to vacate the title."
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