By Kevin Mitchell, Guardian.co.uk
Matthew Hatton has been handed a rare chance to move out of his brother Ricky's shadow. He has agreed to take a short-notice fight for the vacant European welterweight title against Gianluca Branco at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in Dagenham a week on Friday. The offer to fight the seasoned Italian comes only a month after the younger Hatton stopped Mikheil Khutsishvili in the fifth of eight rounds in a non-title contest in Stoke. "It's not ideal," Hatton said, "but I am in decent shape as I kept in the gym after my recent win. Things could be worse."
It is as well that Matthew decided not to accompany his brother to Tenerife on a stag holiday two weeks ago. The former double-weight world champion has not appeared in public since telling friends then that he was having second thoughts about fighting again. In the absence of a statement from his company, Ricky Hatton Promotions, despite repeated inquiries, rumours have circulated that he will announce his plans at a press conference some time this week.
Matthew Hatton has been given his chance ahead of more fancied challengers – including the unbeaten young boxer of the year, Kell Brook, who battered the game Krzysztof Bienias to defeat in six rounds in Liverpool on Friday. It was an eliminator for the WBO world title held by Manny Pacquiao.
Brook admits he is not ready to challenge Pacquiao, who dominated the disappointing Joshua Clottey over 12 rounds to keep his title in Dallas on Saturday – but he would have relished a fight against Branco. The Roman is 39 and a shadow of the fighter who lost two challenges for versions of the light-welterweight title. Branco was outpointed by Arturo Gatti in 2004 and stopped in eight rounds by Miguel Cotto in 2006.
He has been a decent operator at European level for nearly a decade. Hatton, who is 28 and has won 38 of 44 fights, will not have a better chance to make a name for himself other than as Ricky's little brother.
Source: guardian.co.uk
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