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Ricky Hatton vs Maussa
Boxing Program
A Site program from Ricky Hatton's unification
fight against the columbian Carlos Maussa in Sheffield.
£35.00
Ricky Hatton was roared into the ring for his world light-welterweight
title unification clash with Colombian Carlos Maussa at
the Sheffield Arena tonight.
Hatton had been followed across the Pennines from his home
city of Manchester by his usual sizeable army of supporters,
ensuring the usual typically partisan atmosphere at ringside.
The Manchester 'Hitman' was eager to capitalise on his
stunning IBF title win over Kostya Tszyu five months ago
and set up even bigger fights in the future.
He had already stated his intention during the pre-fight
build-up to quit Britain after this fight and seek out his
major 10-stone rivals Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto
- providing he disposed of WBA champion Maussa.
Hatton inevitably went straight onto the attack and a fine
left uppercut caught the unorthodox Colombian early.
But an apparent head clash left Hatton nursing some damage
above his left eye within the first 30 seconds.
The quickly worsening wound was the last thing Hatton wanted
at such an early stage of the contest and was exactly what
Maussa had promised during the pre-fight build-up.
But Hatton continued to boss the first three minutes apparently
unconcerned by his problem and gave his opponent plenty
to think about with a cracking right cross towards the end
of the round.
Jerky and upright, Maussa was not shirking his challenge
and continued to paw at Hatton's wound only to leave himself
open to a textbook left uppercut from the home favourite.
In fact Maussa's chin was looking solid in the face of
increasing punishment and he dealt Hatton a reminder of
his own punch power with a cleanly-landed right at the start
of the third.
Things were about to get even worse for Hatton with the
close-up action resulting in a second bad cut this time
around the Manchester man's right eye.
Early in the fourth Maussa also appeared to have sustained
damage beneath his right eye and referee Mickey Vann brought
the pair together to warn about repeated head clashes.
Hatton was scoring more heavily with single uppercuts but
his opponent showed few signs of crumbling like so many
of the Manchester man's previous opponents.
With Hatton's corner doing sterling work in between rounds
stemming the flow of blood Hatton was keeping his part of
the bargain and a brilliant right-counter in round five
showed the champion at his best.
But Hatton still seemed strangely reticent to seek to hammer
home many of his trademark body shots as Maussa's chin continued
to hold up under pressure as the fight reached its half-way
mark.
Vann warned both fighters again at the beginning of the
seventh after the previous round ended with a number of
flailing shots from both men after the bell.
Hatton continued to dictate the pace as before and barge
through the Colombian's loose guard with ease but the South
American was yet to show any clear signals of distress under
the barrage.
But in the eighth round Hatton's dominance appeared to
be finally paying off as two sharp left hands put his frantically
back-pedalling opponent in trouble for the first time in
the fight.
And early in the ninth Hatton dumped his man on the canvas
with a dramatic, lunging left hook. Maussa rose unsteadily
but failed to meet the count of 10 and Hatton celebrated
adding the WBA title to his growing world title collection.
INTRO: Ricky Hatton swung a sensational left hook to knock
out Carlos Maussa in round nine of their world light-welterweight
title unification bout in Sheffield tonight.
Hatton had to shrug off cuts over both eyes in the early
rounds and appeared set to be taken the distance by the
rock-solid Colombian WBA champion.
But the IBF king's magnificent finish dumped his opponent
who failed to meet referee Mickey Vann's 10 count and turned
Hatton into a double champion.
