Hatton relishing Alvarez challenge
Matthew Hatton is confident he can follow in the footsteps of brother Ricky and become a world champion when he faces Saul Alvarez for the vacant WBC light-middleweight title in Anaheim.
Hatton is a heavy underdog going into the contest against the prodigiously-talented Mexican, who is unbeaten in 36 contests, but the 29-year-old European welterweight champion believes his greater experience in a 47-bout career spanning the past decade can prove decisive in a potentially gruelling contest.
Hatton said: "I genuinely think it's going to be a fantastic, exciting fight that will be very close. He's never been stopped and we're both tough fighters who take a good shot."
He added: "I've prepared for a long, hard night. I think it's going to be an exciting fight, it's going to be great to watch and I think it's going to be very hard for both of us.
"There will be tough moments for both fighters, but I just think my extra maturity, conditioning, strength and experience will tip things in my favour."
Reports this week have suggested that Alvarez will tip the scales at 154lbs at the weigh-in - four pounds over the agreed-upon catchweight - which would see the 20-year-old lose 30% of his fight purse but leave the bout as legitimate in the eyes of the WBC.
Such a move would leave Hatton with a legitimate reason to pull out of the fight, but he remains unfazed despite already stepping outside of his natural welterweight division.
However, the Mancunian, who knocked out previously unbeaten Swiss contender Roberto Belge in his last outing to prolong a nine-fight unbeaten run, continued: "I'm quite old-school really and I wouldn't want to see a few pounds get in the way of a great fight and a brilliant opportunity,
"Obviously I'd have preferred the fight to be taking place at my natural weight of 10st 7lb, but I am a big welterweight. My power is getting better all the time, I'm hitting harder all the time. I'm moving up in weight and if I hit Alvarez clean he'll know all about it.
"You can't knock him really. From what I've seen of him he's an excellent young fighter. He's a good all-rounder - he can fight, he can box, he's obviously got a lot of power. He's only 20 years of age. I think he will go on to be the complete article."
Date published :
04 Mar 2011 - 18:00:07
