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Floyd
Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton
"Undefeated"
Set For Saturday, December 8
Live on Pay-Per-View
They are two of boxing's best, two of the most exciting
fighters in the sport today, and both are undefeated. They
stand atop their weight divisions and fight fans are in for
a thrill as pound-for-pound king of the ring and
welterweight champion "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather
will meet British icon and junior welterweight champion
Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton on Saturday, December 8 for
the 147-pound championship. With a combined record of 81-0,
this is the biggest match-up of two undefeated welterweights
since the record setting mega-fight between Oscar de la Hoya
and Felix Trinidad in 1999.
The fight, officially announced today and aptly named
"UNDEFEATED", will be promoted by Golden Boy Promotions
and Mayweather Promotions and produced by and distributed
live on HBO Pay-Per-View. With several sites interested in
hosting this special event, a location will be announced
shortly.
"I am extremely excited to announce Golden Boy's involvement
in another boxing extravaganza such as Mayweather vs.
Hatton," said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy
Promotions. "We are proud to continue to provide fans with
the best match-ups and fights in boxing today. This will be
an exciting way to end this record-breaking year for the
sport."
"We are very happy that the first fight for Mayweather
Promotions will be an event of this magnitude," said Leonard
Ellerbe of Mayweather Promotions. "To be in partnership with
Golden Boy Promotions working on another big event is a
great way to show we are serious in bringing great fights to
the fans."
"Mayweather-Hatton is a world-class showdown between two
undefeated superstars in their prime," said Mark Taffet of
HBO Pay-Per-View. "It's the biggest welterweight fight since
De La Hoya-Trinidad, and figures to be a memorable night for
boxing fans."
Mayweather, 30, is 38-0 (24 KOs) and the reigning world
welterweight champion. He is a six-time world champion in
five weight divisions including super featherweight,
lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight and super
welterweight. Coming off of his decision victory against
Oscar de la Hoya—the largest grossing event in the history
of boxing—Mayweather is one of the most gifted fighters to
ever step between the ropes.
"I am the best fighter in boxing today and I'm prepared for
any challenge my team puts in front of me," said Mayweather.
"And with Ricky Hatton it's already personal. He has talked
and disrespected me so much in the past months that I can't
wait to get him in the ring and show him he is not even on
my level. He's definitely getting knocked out."
Hatton, 28, is 43-0 (31 KOs), and hails from Manchester,
England. He is also a multi-division champion and
universally recognized world junior welterweight champion.
He has fought once before at 147 pounds, winning the
welterweight belt from Luis Collazo in May of 2006 before
moving back down to 140 pounds and capturing his third world
title. His most recent contest was a four-round destruction
of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas in June.
"It is a dream of every boxer to fight the best boxers in
the world," said Hatton. " "I respect Floyd Mayweather
immensely for his boxing ability and it will be an honor to
share the same ring with him. He is rightly regarded as the
best pound for pound boxer in the world. However, I am
confident and determined that I will be the first boxer to
beat him in the ring and I am looking forward to this
fight."
A global press tour is being planned to promote this event.
In addition, on-sale ticket information for this
championship title fight will be announced in the near
future.
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