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Sports Network have begun High Court proceedings against IBF light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.
The move came after Hatton?s manager/father Ray Hatton insisted he was free to speak to other promoters.
But Frank Warren says he has a three-fight agreement with Hatton, who won his world title after beating Kostya Tszyu in June.
"With great sadness and regret, Sports Network Ltd has today commenced proceedings in the High Court for an order restraining Ricky Hatton from breaching his promotional agreement with Frank Warren,? read a Sports Network statement.
"Sports Network Ltd has been pushed into this position by the numerous comments made by Ray Hatton in the media over the last few days and has been forced to issue proceedings to protect its position."
Taken from http://www.frankwarren.tv
Frank Warren also had to offer:
A lot has been said and written about Ricky Hatton relationship with me lately. It is unfortunate sometimes in boxing situations like this develop.
When I look back over the years, I can recall Nigel Benn and me parting company for a while, but eventually he came back, we worked together and he finished his career with me. In fact Nigel said in his book that I was the best promoter he worked with.
A few years ago I decided to stop promoting Naseem Hamed because I was not happy with what was happening behind the scenes with his training and some of his family especially their views on the route they wanted his career to take.
Naz was one of the most naturally talented fighters that I have worked with, but like all sportsmen you cannot cut corners in your preparation and the time you spend in the gym.
If you do boxing, which is one of the most dangerous sports, you will certainly get found out and he did against Marco Antonio Barrera.
Naz and I spoke a few months ago. He said he wanted to come back, I advised him against that. He responded by saying “he hadn’t been in wars and still felt he could do it”.
I said he should thank me for that but he would have been out of the ring for too long and what did he need to box again for? He is well off, has a lovely wife and kids, he obviously listened to my advice.
Nigel, Naz, Ricky and many have worked well with me during their careers. I like to think that I help financially secure their futures and guided their careers expertly. They have been involved in some great fights, made money as did I.
Ricky is a great fighter, has a good family around him and an excellent trainer in Billy Graham. He is now part of an elite group, number 1 in his class and rightly so, but this didn’t happen over night, you don’t get to this position without careful match making, top notch promotion and someone with the gumption to take some tough business decisions that only make sense in the long term. That someone is me.
Therefore, it really chokes me when I read that Ricky is a free agent and he is in talks with other people about future fights. That is wrong. I do have an agreement for Ricky’s next three fights and will not just stand back whilst the stampede for his services tramples over me.
I know more than most that the boxing business is ruthless with no room for prisoners. You have got to deliver and keep delivering. On my part I have spoken to Bob Arum regarding Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather, WBA Carlos Maussa and even Don King called me to discuss a Zab Judah fight for Ricky. All these fights can be done, that’s what I do – Deliver.
At the end of the day it’s about the money and if two grown men can’t find a place where it makes sense for both of them, then, I guess, it will be for those who wear the wigs and gowns to decide.
The move came after Hatton?s manager/father Ray Hatton insisted he was free to speak to other promoters.
But Frank Warren says he has a three-fight agreement with Hatton, who won his world title after beating Kostya Tszyu in June.
"With great sadness and regret, Sports Network Ltd has today commenced proceedings in the High Court for an order restraining Ricky Hatton from breaching his promotional agreement with Frank Warren,? read a Sports Network statement.
"Sports Network Ltd has been pushed into this position by the numerous comments made by Ray Hatton in the media over the last few days and has been forced to issue proceedings to protect its position."
Taken from http://www.frankwarren.tv
Frank Warren also had to offer:
A lot has been said and written about Ricky Hatton relationship with me lately. It is unfortunate sometimes in boxing situations like this develop.
When I look back over the years, I can recall Nigel Benn and me parting company for a while, but eventually he came back, we worked together and he finished his career with me. In fact Nigel said in his book that I was the best promoter he worked with.
A few years ago I decided to stop promoting Naseem Hamed because I was not happy with what was happening behind the scenes with his training and some of his family especially their views on the route they wanted his career to take.
Naz was one of the most naturally talented fighters that I have worked with, but like all sportsmen you cannot cut corners in your preparation and the time you spend in the gym.
If you do boxing, which is one of the most dangerous sports, you will certainly get found out and he did against Marco Antonio Barrera.
Naz and I spoke a few months ago. He said he wanted to come back, I advised him against that. He responded by saying “he hadn’t been in wars and still felt he could do it”.
I said he should thank me for that but he would have been out of the ring for too long and what did he need to box again for? He is well off, has a lovely wife and kids, he obviously listened to my advice.
Nigel, Naz, Ricky and many have worked well with me during their careers. I like to think that I help financially secure their futures and guided their careers expertly. They have been involved in some great fights, made money as did I.
Ricky is a great fighter, has a good family around him and an excellent trainer in Billy Graham. He is now part of an elite group, number 1 in his class and rightly so, but this didn’t happen over night, you don’t get to this position without careful match making, top notch promotion and someone with the gumption to take some tough business decisions that only make sense in the long term. That someone is me.
Therefore, it really chokes me when I read that Ricky is a free agent and he is in talks with other people about future fights. That is wrong. I do have an agreement for Ricky’s next three fights and will not just stand back whilst the stampede for his services tramples over me.
I know more than most that the boxing business is ruthless with no room for prisoners. You have got to deliver and keep delivering. On my part I have spoken to Bob Arum regarding Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather, WBA Carlos Maussa and even Don King called me to discuss a Zab Judah fight for Ricky. All these fights can be done, that’s what I do – Deliver.
At the end of the day it’s about the money and if two grown men can’t find a place where it makes sense for both of them, then, I guess, it will be for those who wear the wigs and gowns to decide.
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