HATTON, COLLAZO MEET OVER BEER

May 11, 2006 - Boston, MA
Press Conference: Collazo vs. Hatton

After the vitriol-fueled spectacle of the De La Hoya/Mayorga bout in Las Vegas last week, the press conference for the rising star Ricky Hatton and his opponent, the WBA welterweight champ Luis Collazo seemed positively convivial.

Collazo offered a six-pack of stout to the Manchester-born Hatton, and told him, "Welcome to the States." The undefeated British import replied amiably: "After the fight we'll share some Guiness together."

Not surprisingly, the two did disagree on a predicted outcome of their match this weekend in Boston. "I've got a tough task in front of me, but come Saturday night, I'll be champion in another weight class," said Hatton, who is moving up to 147 pounds for the fight.

Saying that the last week had been one of the longest of his life, Collazo, who is known for his prolific punching, assured the crowd that he would retain his belt, and said that the fight with the man nicknamed "Hitman" would be exciting, "maybe even the fight of the year."