David Price - What next?

By John Hoolan @JohnHoolan

David Price - Some decisions to make...

Having seen his attempt at trying to avenge a defeat to Tony Thompson turn to dust it must seem like a very lonely world to David Price at the moment. Even 3 weeks after he was stopped in the 5th, the future will very likely seem uncertain and he'll view it with a lot of trepidation.

Ricky Hatton claims no more weight gain between fights...

Out-of-shape.                                              In-shape.

As you all know by now, Ricky Hatton will return to the ring on November 24th, against an opponent that is yet to be named, for the first time since his devastating 2nd round loss to Manny Pacquiao back in 2009. Hatton is now almost 34 years of age and obviously can't do the things that he used to do when he was fighting at the age of 25.

It's no secret that Hatton was not fully committed to the sport even in his "glory days." The Mancunian used to party hard after every fight and always gained about three or four stone in between bouts. He was even nicknamed Ricky "Fatton" for his behaviour outside of the ring, but he claims this will not be the case when returns in November.

"I am going to change my spots but you can't completely change me," said Hatton. "I'm a Jack The Lad and all that but I cringe at the weight I had to lose all those years ago. If I'm going to make a comeback, the three stone I used to shed when I was 25 years of age, I can't shed that as I'm 34 next month."

"Things have got to change. I can't turn round to my fighters and say; 'Listen, keep coming in the gym and do not balloon in weight' if I'm going to go out and do it."

It still waits to be seen whether or not Hatton can fully dedicate his whole entire life to the sport of boxing. I'm sure he will be in tip-top condition for his comeback fight in November. But can he keep it up for the next few years?

 

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97

Hatton and father involved in bust-up!

Ricky and Ray.

Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton's father, Ray Hatton, has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting his son on Thursday, the day before 'The Hitman' announced his return to the ring.

Ray Hatton, 61, was given a police caution after it was confirmed that he assaulted Ricky outside of the families' health and fitness gym in Hyde, Greater Manchester. According to reports in the Independent newspaper, the pair traded punches following a heated argument.

A policeman spokesman gave a little info on the situation: "Shortly before 11:45 BST on Thursday, police received reports that there had been a fight involving two men outside a health and fitness club on Market Street."

"A 33-year old man was assaulted by a 61-year old man, who was arrested on suspicion of common assault and subsequently given a police caution."

On Friday, the day after the incident, Hatton revealed that he would be making comeback into the sport of the boxing and will fight at the Manchester Arena on November 24th.

 

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

Hatton comeback rumours continue to escalate!

The rumours that former two-weight world champion and British fan-favourite Ricky Hatton will return to the ring later this year are forever growing stronger. Numerous sources claim that the 33-year old Mancunian will announce a two-fight comeback in the very near future.

Hatton last fought in 2009 when he was knocked out in just two rounds by Manny Pacquiao and at that time he insisted that he was retired for good. However, he has been back in the gym and training a lot recently. Those close to Hatton claim that he is the best shape he has been in for a very long time.

At first the most likely fight for Hatton was against Paulie Malignaggi in November but his old rival is already scheduled to fight on October 20th against Pablo Cesar Cano. This would mean that Malignaggi would have only a month to prepare for one of the biggest fights of his career. So I think its almost certain that this fight will not happen in November.

However, I do think that if Hatton does make a comeback, he will definitely fight Malignaggi. Whether its his first or second fight, he will end up fighting him. Both men want the fight and it would be an easy bout to sell and make. The most likely outcome is that Hatton will face Malignaggi at the start of 2013 and if he is victorious he will move onto an even bigger challenge. You never know... Maybe even Manny Pacquiao?

Bute Vs Grachev looking likely for November 3rd...

Bute embraces Froch after his devastating defeat.

Former IBF super-middleweight champion and pound-for-pound contender Lucian Bute is looking to return to the ring on November 3rd. The most likely opponent for him at the moment is Denis Grachev.

Bute is coming off of a devastating knock out loss to British No.1 Carl Froch that has left a massive dent in his career and his reputation. Before the loss, the Canadian-based Romanian was considered to be one of the best fighters in the world but after the loss he is now just considered as a half-decent fighter that was over-hyped. 

Bute, 32, has still got a contractual right to a rematch with Froch but is highly unlikely that he will take it anytime soon. He will likely want to build up his confidence with a few 'winnable' fights and then maybe take the step back up to world title level. 

Grachev however, is coming off of a performance that turned a lot of heads for the right reasons. The 29-year old rose off of the canvas to come back and halt the heavily hyped Ismayl Sillack. 

I know there will be a lot of people that will moan about this fight but personally, I think its a pretty decent fight. It will be a good test for Bute both mentally and physically. Grachev is not a guy that will just let someone walk over him... He's an undefeated prospect that will come to win. 

Despite everything that has happened recently, Bute will still be a huge favourite going into the fight. But, as we all know by now... This means nothing in boxing. It all depends on what happens on the night and this could be a fantastic opportunity for Grachev to prove to people that he is a future superstar of this sport.

Khan believes him against Hatton would be bigger than Haye-Chisora!

Khan (left) with Hatton (right) during the build-up to his fight with Paul McCloskey.

Former light-welterweight world champ Amir Khan has his sights set on a rematch with Danny Garcia, who scored a surprise knock-out victory over him last Saturday (July 14th), but he has not ruled the chances of a fight with Ricky Hatton in the future. The 25-year old actually claims that it would be bigger than the heavyweight grudge match between David Haye and Dereck Chisora.

There have been many rumours circulating that Hatton is planning a surprise return to the ring for the first time since 2009. These rumours have not been confirmed, but a lot of evidence such as the Mancunian spending a lot of time in the gym and losing a lot of weight, have made the rumours seem a lot more likely. At first, Paulie Malignaggi was the only fighter who was mentioned for a fight with Hatton but now Khan has been brought into the picture.

"I don't think Ricky will want to fight us," said Khan. "I try to avoid the Ricky fight but you never know. It'd be a huge British fight and I don't think we've had a British fight like that. It would be bigger than the Dereck and David fight but who knows? For the moment I'm more focused on the Garcia fight because what burns me is that you know you made a mistake and you know what mistake you make."

Macklin Vs Alcine confirmed for September 15th!

Macklin gave Martinez one of his toughest fights.

Former middleweight world title contender Matthew Macklin will return to the ring on September 15th against Joachim Alcine at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Joachim Alcine.

It will be the Brit's first time back in the ring since his knock out loss to middleweight No.1 Sergio Martinez in March of this year. Macklin may have lost in that fight but he still put on a good performance and made a good name for himself against one of the best fighters in the world.

His opponent, Joachim Alcine, is 36-years old but he is still a very dangerous fighter. The Canadian held the WBA light-middleweight world title between 2007 and 2008, and was a very, very good fighter at the time. He has been on a slight decline in recent years but he is coming off a stunningly good performance against David Lemieux in December. He has had only two losses in a 36-fight career. Macklin will be the big favourite going into the fight, but there is a slight chance of an upset.

The bout will take place on the undercard of another middleweight showdown on that night, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Vs Sergio Martinez. This may be a little disheartening for Macklin as his fight will be completely overshadowed by the headline bout. But, he will have a chance of starring in his own world title fight very soon as the winner of his fight with Alcine is looking very likely to face the winner of Martinez Vs Chavez Jr.

Ricky Hatton to return to the ring?

Hatton in his fight with Paulie Malignaggi.

There have been tons of rumours circulating that retired British fan favourite Ricky Hatton is looking to make a return to the ring for the first time since 2009. The rumour has not yet been confirmed by Hatton or any of his team but there are a lot of UK media outlets that are stating that this rumour is true.

Hatton, 33-years old, last fought in May of 2009, where he suffered a devastating knock out loss to Manny Pacquiao.

It's fair to say that at this moment in time, Hatton is not in shape. However, according to inside reports, the former two-time world champion has been training a lot lately and has also been shedding a lot of weight. It's  hard to believe that this story is true as there have never been any signs that the Manchester-born man was even considering returning to the ring. At the moment, I'm not actually sure whether I would want to see Mr.Hatton back in the ring. I've enjoyed watching him fight so many times and he does usually bring a lot of excitement for the fans. However, I do not want him to become another one of the ring legends that tarnish their career because they just don't know when to hang up the gloves. I know he's only 33, but he's been inactive for over three years and I just don't think that he will ever be able to make it back to the top. I hope I'm wrong.

What's even more surprising is that the rumours that are circulating also state that Hatton is targeting WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. Hatton defeated Malignaggi by an 11th round stoppage prior to his loss to Manny Pacquiao.

Always chatty and willing to talk Malignaggi gave his thoughts on the rumours:

"I'm hearing that Ricky Hatton is interested in a comeback," said the New Yorker. "I'm hearing rumours that I'm the target of that comeback. I've had two rematches in my career and I'm 2-0 in those rematches. In our fight, he did very well. I'd like to think that there are a lot of things that I could have done [better] and I'd like to think that I have made a lot of changes on my team that have really, really brought out the best in me."

"It's a loss that I've had to live with. It's a loss that hindered me and every day I think about the loss and it bothers me. It's unfortunate because I should have done much better, but it was what it was. The rematch is something that interests me. I have nothing but respect for Ricky, his fans and his family. They were nothing but respectful to me during the entire promotion and I expect nothing less in the rematch. I know that he wants to come back and win a title to reclaim old glory but it's my time now and I know that I can beat Ricky Hatton."

Ricky Hatton has not yet made a comment regarding the rumours of a ring return.

Abner Mares returns on August 25th...

According to reports, WBC super-bantamweight champ Abner Mares will return to the ring on August 25th in Puebla. The most likely opponent at the moment is Christian Esquivel (25-3, 18 KO's).

This is a decent fight for Mares as Esquivel is a man that will come to fight and come to win, and he's not that bad either. He's not the toughest opponent that Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO's) will ever face on his journey to the top but it will do good in showing us if Mares really is something special. However, there is one little negative surrounding this fight. Mares is a super-bantamweight and this is the second bout in a row that he has chosen to face a man who usually boxes at bantamweight. The Mexican has been criticised on occasions for not facing a top contender at 122lb (super-bantamweight). But that's the only bad thing I can think of about this fight.

It will be a good little scrap and it will definitely be more closely contested than Mares' most recent fight against Eric Morel, where the 26-year old widely outpointed the much older man.

The viewing of this clash on the night of August 25th could be a little less than usual. This fight will be shown on Showtime and on the same night, HBO will be showing a much more popular and 'high-key' fight in Dmirty Pirog Vs Gennady Golovkin for the world middleweight title. If it does not go head-to-head with this fight then I'm sure a lot of people will be watching it.

Juan Manuel Lopez to return in November!

Former super-bantamweight and featherweight world champion Juan Manuel Lopez is hoping to return to the ring and possibly at a higher weight. The Puerto Rican may be moving up to 130lb as he feels it may be easier for him to make the weight.

"My team and I are going to talk that over soon. It would be a lot easier to make weight at 130 but if the right fight presents itself then I definitely have to look at going back down to 126," said Lopez.

JuanMa's last fight was a loss to Mexican rival Orlando Salido in what many people believe was the Fight Of The Year. There was controversy surrounding him after the fight as he criticised the referee for stopping him in the 10th round, suggesting that he had gambling problems.

Even if you don't like Lopez, you will have to admit that he is one of the most exciting fighters in the sport today. He has a 'fight to the death' style and is sometimes to brave for his own good, as shown his only two losses which both came to Orlando Salido. He may never return to the top level of the sport, especially if he keeps taking as many punches as he sometimes does. But, one thing that is for sure is that the Puerto Rican will always provide entertainment for the fans.

A move up to 130lb may suit the former world champ as even he must realise that featherweight is one of the toughest divisions at this current time and he may not be able to compete with the top guys at the weight.

I am really looking forward to seeing in action again. I just hope that it is against a half-decent opponent so we get to see his usual fighting style that attracts so many fans.

Juan Manuel Marquez returns July 21st or 28th...

Juan Manuel Marquez.

It has been confirmed that Mexican light-welterweight Juan Manuel Marquez will not be fighting on July 14thas Top Rank could not find a suitable opponent for the man who is adamant that he wants to fight a southpaw so that he can prepare for a fourth fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Top Rank offered Marquez Zab Judah and Brandon Rios. Either of these would have earned the 38-year old a big amount of money but he simply refused to fight them because they were not a southpaw. When Top Rank finally found a southpaw that was a half decent fighter, the fight was scrapped as Marquez wanted too much money. The light-welterweight champ was in search for a big money fight but Gesta is not a big enough name to draw in the kind of money that he wants.

It has not even been confirmed that Marquez will fight Pacquiao at the end of the year but the Mexican is confident that the bout will happen. In his previous fights with the Filipino he has lost two and drawn one. However, these have all been very controversial decisions and some people believe that Marquez deserved to win all three.

So, it now looks like Marquez will be fighting in Mexico once again for the third time in just four fights. And, it will likely be against a fighter that will not draw in any big money and will probably not prepare him for Manny Pacquiao.

The July 14th show will be replaced by a new card that features Amir Khan Vs Danny Garcia and Seth Mitchell Vs Johnathon Banks.

Adrien Broner returns on July 21st...

22-year old boxing superstar Adrien Broner had his May 19th fight with Gary Sykes cancelled along with Amir Khan Vs Lamont Peterson II. I won't go into detail as you will all surely no the reason for this. The WBO super-featherweight champion will now return to the ring on July 21st, headlining a Boxing After Dark card on HBO.

To be honest, I don't think many people will be bothered about the fight between Broner and Sykes being cancelled as it was going to be a massively one-sided fight in favour of Broner and many people were shocked that Sykes was even chosen to share the ring with the future pound-for-pound contender. I'm not taking anything away from Sykes, he will be massively affected by this and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for him but in reality he is a domestic fighter at most.

One possible opponent for July 21st is Vincente Escobedo, who was slated to fight Broner in August. He does have a fight this weekend, but if he wins, a two month break should easily be enough for him. Another fighter that everyone wants to see Broner face is WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns as many people believe that Broner needs to move up a weight division to prove himself. However, this fight is becoming less likely by the day as Burns has been rumoured to be facing domestic rival Kevin Mitchell on July 14th on the undercard of David Haye Vs Dereck Chisora.

Broner's and Khan's opponents are likely to be announced very soon. We'll have more info on what's next for the two young talents very soon.

Antonio Margarito returns to the ring on May 26th...

Damage caused to Margarito's eye during fight with Cotto.

Three-time world champion Antonio Margarito is set to fight at the Casino Del Sol, Arizona on May 26th. 

The 34-year old Mexican was rumoured to be considering retirement after losing badly to Miguel Cotto in a grudge rematch last December and also struggling with persistent eye problems but he will now fight again for the 48th fight of his career.

The bout will take place between 154lb and 160lb according Dan Rafael from ESPN who spoke to Top Rank's Carl Moretti on Monday.

An opponent for the has not yet been confirmed but will most likely be announced soon.

This is what Moretti had to say about the situation: "Everything is fine... He went back to his doctor and got everything checked out after the Cotto fight."

"In the fight, the eye was only cut and swollen. No other damage. After the fight New York put him on the medical suspension list but then took him off of it because he got cleared medically in January."

Margarito will likely be given a lower-ranked opponent for his next fight as his confidence needs building after he has lost three of his last four fights.

Who do you want to see him face?.. Let us know on Twitter (@BoxingOpinions1) or comment below.

Dereck Chisora discusses return and fellow British heavyweights

@IFILMLONDON