Boxing:Ricky Hatton is to face world lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas on June 23rd, in what is likely to be the toughest fight of his career to date.
It was confirmed this afternoon that the pair will clash for the nominal IBO light-welterweight crown at the Thomas and Mack Centre. The belt, however, is virtually irrelevant, with the prize of becoming undisputed king of the 147lbs division at stake.
The 33-year-old Mexican Castillo made his name in two epic battles with Diego Corrales which underlined his reputation as one of the most exciting fighters in the business.
Both fighters will have an extra incentive to impress after largely disappointing performances on the same bill at the Paris Casino in Las Vegas last month.
Castillo looked well below-par as he scraped a split decision win over Cameroon's Hernan Ngoudjo, before Hatton also laboured to a points win over Colombian Juan Urango.
Hatton claimed the IBF version of the light-welterweight title with that win, but politics subsequently forced him to give up the belt in order to pursue his super-fight against Castillo.
Castillo made his name in two epic lightweight title battles with Diego Corrales and Hatton is convinced their duel will overshadow even Floyd Mayweather's clash with Oscar De La Hoya in May.
Hatton said: "I am not going to take a backward step and neither will Jose. That has always been a priority for me as a fighter because it means a lot to me what the fans think.
"People remember fighters like me, Arturo Gatti and Julio Cesar Chavez more than they remember safety-first fighters like Floyd Mayweather.
"As fantastic as Mayweather is, I would not swap my style for his talent. I think he will be very negative in the De La Hoya fight. I might set the video but I won't stay up to watch it."
In Manchester for today's fight announcement, Castillo said through an interpreter: "It was my intention to have just one fight at 140lbs then go up to 147lbs, but I felt so strong.
"I think Ricky will be similar to Corrales. Corrales comes to fight right at you and Ricky does the same thing. He is different to Mayweather because he runs and doesn't come to fight."
Hatton will head off on a family cruise this week before getting down to the business of preparing for his fight with Castillo.