View source for Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano

{{short description|Boxing competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox boxing match
| Fight Name   = Homecoming
| image        = [[Image:Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano.jpg|200px]]
| caption      =
| fight date   = 24 May 2008
| location     = [[City of Manchester Stadium]], [[Manchester]], UK
| titles       = [[International Boxing Organization|IBO]] and [[The Ring (magazine)|''The Ring'']] light welterweight titles
| fighter1     = {{flagicon|GBR}} Ricky Hatton
| nickname1    = "The Hitman"
| hometown1    = [[Stockport]], [[Greater Manchester|Manchester]], UK
| purse1       =
| record1      = 43–1 (31 KO)
| age1         = {{age in years and months |6 October 1978 |24 May 2008}}
| height1      = 5 ft 6 in
| weight1      = 139+3/4 lb
| style1       = Orthodox
| recognition1 = [[International Boxing Organization|IBO]] and [[The Ring (magazine)|''The Ring'']]<br>Light Welterweight Champion<br />[[World Boxing Council|WBC]]/[[World Boxing Organisation|WBO]]<br>No. 2 Ranked Light Welterweight<br>[[International Boxing Federation|IBF]]<br>No. 4 Ranked Light Welterweight<br />[[The Ring (magazine)|''The Ring'']] No. 8 ranked [[Pound for pound|pound-for-pound]] fighter<br />2-division world champion
| fighter2     = {{flagicon|MEX}} Juan Lazcano
| nickname2    = "The Chosen Juan"
| hometown2    = [[Sacramento, California]], US
| purse2       =
| record2      = 37–4–1 (27 KO)
| age2         = {{age in years and months |March 23, 1975 |24 May 2008}}
| height2      = 5 ft 9 in
| weight2      = 139+3/4 lbs
| style2       = Orthodox
| recognition2 = Former [[International Boxing Association|IBA]] lightweight titleholder
| result       = '''Hatton''' wins via 12-round '''[[unanimous decision]]''' (120-110, 118-110, 120-108)
}}
'''Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano''', billed as '''''Homecoming''''', was a [[boxing]] [[light welterweight]] fight between [[Ricky Hatton]] and challenger [[Juan Lazcano]] for the [[International Boxing Organization|IBO]] and [[The Ring (magazine)|''The Ring'']] titles. It was held in [[Manchester]], England at the [[City of Manchester Stadium]] in front of a record 55,000 fans. This was a record for a boxing event [[Post-war|post world war II]], until 2014 when [[Carl Froch]] faced [[George Groves (boxer)|George Groves]], fight which sold 80,000 seats.<ref>
{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7259693.stm |title=BBC &#124; Hatton Names Date For Homecoming |date=25 February 2008 |access-date=2009-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225134208/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7259693.stm |archive-date=2008-02-25 |url-status=live }}
</ref> The fight went the full 12 rounds and Hatton won by [[unanimous decision]].
==Background==
[[File:Hatton lazcano city of manchester.jpg|thumb|left|The [[City of Manchester Stadium]] pictured before the fight.]]
Hatton was coming off his first career loss to [[Floyd Mayweather Jr.]] and was fighting for the first time back in Manchester. It was a thanks to all his fans who had travelled to the [[United States|States]] to watch his previous four fights and was held in his home [[Association football|Football]] ground of his beloved [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]].<ref>
{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Fight:1270506 |title=Boxrec &#124; Ricky Hatton vs. Juan Lazcano |access-date=2009-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009054839/http://boxrec.com/media/index.php?title=Fight:1270506 |archive-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref><br />
Lazcano was a durable opponent who was in the top ten for light welterweights in the [[Ring Magazine]] rankings. His only stoppage defeat was to [[Golden Johnson]] ten years previously and he was also coming off a loss to [[Vivian Harris]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=6947&cat=boxer |title=Boxrec &#124; Juan Lazcano's professional record |access-date=2009-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009054844/http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=6947&cat=boxer |archive-date=2012-10-09 |url-status=live }}
</ref><br />
[[Paulie Malignaggi]] was on the undercard as he and Hatton were meant to fight each other later in the year.<br />
The weigh-in took place at the [[Trafford Centre]] in Manchester and there was a lot of anticipation about Hatton's Ring Entrance. A lot of people were criticizing his diet between fights and were saying he was past his best, He wanted to prove them wrong and also take a dig at them at the same time.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/boxing/2008/05/18/ricky-hatton-vows-i-ll-thrill-them-it-could-be-goodbye-115875-20422011/ |title=Mirror &#124; Hatton vows: I'll thrill them it could be goodbye. |website=[[Daily Mirror]] |date=17 May 2008 |access-date=2019-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605192612/http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/boxing/2008/05/18/ricky-hatton-vows-i-ll-thrill-them-it-could-be-goodbye-115875-20422011/ |archive-date=2011-06-05 |url-status=live }}
</ref> Hatton said it could be his last in Britain.<br />The fight was on [[Sky Box Office]] in the UK and [[Versus (TV channel)]] in the United States. Juan Lazcano saw an upset on the cards and trainer [[Ronnie Shields]] was saying that Hatton was washed up and ready for the taking.
==The fight==
The ring entrance involved a version of [[Hi Ho Silver Lining]] with the words replaced to mention Hatton, followed by Blue Moon. Hatton appeared in a fat suit and walked to the ring in it, [[Michael Buffer]] announced the fighters. <br />The referee was [[Howard Foster]] and the judges were Marcus McDonell, Pat Russell and Phil Austin.  Hatton who was rocked badly in the eighth and tenth round, and in the tenth critics claim, only survived, when the fight was stopped, so he could tie his shoes, while badly hurt. Despite being a bad performance, the judges scores of 120-110, 118-110 and 120-108 . Hatton also rocked Lazcano several times and had him against the ropes using the full repertoire of shots, with Lazcano's back bruised from being constantly pushed against the ropes.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Gareth A Davies |title=Ricky Hatton defeats Lazcano on points as Manchester savours 'Homecoming' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/2301522/Ricky-Hatton-defeats-Lazcano-on-points-as-Manchester-savours-Homecoming.html |website=telegraph.co.uk |publisher=The Telegraph |access-date=4 April 2024 |date=25 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Nabil Hassan |title=Hatton retains title on home turf |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7415140.stm |website=bbc.co.uk |publisher=BBC |access-date=4 April 2024 |date=24 May 2008}}</ref>
Malignaggi also won a split decision against [[Lovemore N'dou]] to set up their fight.
==Aftermath==
Hatton decided to hire [[Floyd Mayweather Sr.]] for his next fight with [[Paulie Malignaggi]] and would go on to win that as well.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hatton-hires-mayweather-sr-as-trainer-1.761083 |title=CBC &#124; Hatton hires trainer Mayweather Sr. |access-date=2009-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924145913/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2008/09/03/hatton-mayweather.html |archive-date=2008-09-24 |url-status=live }}</ref> Lazcano has not fought since.
==Undercard==
Confirmed bouts:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boxrec.com/en/event/546634|title=BoxRec - event|publisher=}}</ref>
==Broadcasting==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! align=center | Country
! align=center | Broadcaster
|-
| {{flag|Mexico}} || [[Televisa]]
|-
| {{flag|United Kingdom}} ||  [[Sky Sports]]
|-
| {{flag|United States}} ||  [[Versus (TV channel)|Versus]]
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef | before=[[Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton|vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[Ricky Hatton]]'s bouts |years=24 May 2008}}
{{s-aft | after=[[Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi|vs. Paulie Malignaggi]]}}
{{s-bef | before=vs. [[Vivian Harris]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=[[Juan Lazcano]]'s bouts |years=24 May 2008}}
{{s-non | reason=Retired}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hatton, Lazcano}}
[[Category:2008 in boxing]]
[[Category:2008 in English sport]]
[[Category:2000s in Manchester]]
[[Category:May 2008 sports events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Boxing matches in Manchester]]
[[Category:Boxing matches involving Ricky Hatton|Lazcano]]
[[Category:Boxing on ESPN]]
[[Category:Boxing on Sky Sports]]
[[Category:Light welterweight championship matches]]