Ricky Hatton says Velodrome boxing card is 'best' he's put on, as Scott Quigg puts unbeaten record on line

PRIMED: Quigg and Munroe

By Ben Burrows & Sean-Paul Doran

Ricky Hatton believes he has put on the best line-up since becoming a promoter with a bill stacked with British talent at the Velodrome on Saturday night.

Scott Quigg headlines the bill, putting his 24-fight unbeaten record on the line against Leicester’s former European champion Rendall Munroe at super-bantamweight.

Hatton is excited about the calibre of show he is bringing to his hometown Manchester faithful.

“I’m very much looking forward to tomorrow night – this is the reason I got into promotions,” he said. “I look forward to all of my promotions but this one’s a little bit special.

“With the number one and two in Britain at super-bantamweight, it can’t be anything other than a barnstormer of a fight.”

“With it being in Manchester it’s extra special. There isn’t a moment goes past that I don’t thank the people of Manchester for the support they’ve given me,” he said. “This is a real fans show.”

Hatton was quick to praise the Bury-born Quigg and believes he has the talent to go all the way in his weight division.

“This is a big opportunity for Scott and it will tell us a lot more about him. We have all been talking about him as a potential world champion and rightly so.

“He’s fighting a world-class super-bantamweight in Rendall Munroe so we’ll get a lot of answers out of Scott Quigg on Saturday.”

Quigg weighed in at 8st 9lb 12oz and is confident about proving himself against a fighter who he says is top of their weight division.

“We’ve both got something to prove,” he said. “He has got to prove that he’s still number one and I’ve got to prove that I belong at this level.

“The pressure’s on both of us but I thrive on pressure,” he added.

“Working with Ricky is great and it’s been a great help. There is an added pressure but you can either handle it or you can’t. It’s not something you can learn.”

“This is a very, very tough fight but it’s one I’m confident I can win.”

Martin Murray, at 11st 6lb, will get his comeback started with an undercard clash against French middleweight champion Karim Achour.

Last time out Murray fought German Felix Sturm for the WBA middleweight crown and a tight judge’s decision ended with a draw.

Promoter Hatton is wary of the pitfalls of being a retired fighter and dismissed any talk of an in-ring comeback insisting how much he is relishing his new role.

He said: “Being a promoter is still stressful but it’s a different kind of stress. I am enjoying it.

“I’m coaching now and I’m in the gym every day,” he added. “I need my days to be full because so many retired fighters make a silly comeback and I don’t want to be one of them.”

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