Update on the Undercard of
Hatton vs. Mallignaggi Card on Nov. 22 at MGM Grand
November 19, 2008
LOS ANGELES, November 19 - British
welterweight star Matthew Hatton and junior featherweight contender Rey
"Boom Boom" Bautista will be pushed to the limit in pivotal bouts on the
off-television undercard of Saturday night's showdown between Ricky "The
Hitman" Hatton and Paul "Magic Man" Malignaggi at the MGM Grand Garden
Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Matthew Hatton (34-4-1, 13 KO's) will warm up British fans in attendance
for his brother Ricky when he takes on perennial contender Ben Tackie
(29-10-1, 17 KO's) in a 10 round welterweight bout while 22-year-old
Bautista (26-1, 19 KO's) will square off against former world title
challenger Heriberto Ruiz (39-7-2, 23 KO's) in a 10 round junior
welterweight bout.
Also stepping between the ropes on November 22nd will be up and coming
prospects Danny Garcia, Hylon Williams, Adrien Broner and Adrian
Gonzalez. An eight round welterweight battle between undefeated
Sirimongkol Singwancha and veteran Rogelio Castaneda will also be part
of the show.
The night's main event, Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi, is a
scheduled 12-round battle for Hatton's Ring Magazine and IBO Junior
Welterweight titles, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association
with Punch Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by
Affliction Clothing and Cerveza Tecate. In the co-feature James Kirkland
vs. Brian Vera, a 10 round middleweight bout, is presented in
association with Tournament of Contenders. Both bouts will air live on
HBO's World Championship Boxing broadcast beginning at 7:00pm PT/10:00pm
ET. Doors open at 3:00 pm PT with the first bell ringing at
approximately 3:15pm PT.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150 are still available
at any MGM Grand box office outlet and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster
locations (select Smith's Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To
charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702)
474-4000.
Although he is the little brother of one of boxing biggest stars,
Matthew Hatton is well on his way to carving out his own niche in the
crowded welterweight division. A proud native of Manchester, the
27-year-old has won six of his last seven bouts including his last bout,
a solid win, over Scott Woolford in September of this year. Hatton faces
Accra, Ghana's Ben "Wonder" Tackie who is no stranger to the Hatton
family, having fought Ricky in 2003. Although this unyielding warrior
has had his share of bad luck in the ring over the last two years, he is
confident that the string will end and a winning streak will begin
against the younger Hatton on November 22nd.
Tagbilaran's Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista is already a star in the
Philippines, but the highly-motivated youngster wants to achieve the
same status around the world as his countryman Manny Pacquiao and knows
the only way to do that is to win a championship. After falling short in
his first world title shot against Daniel Ponce De Leon, Bautista has
roared back with three straight wins. In Heriberto "Cuate" Ruiz Bautista
will be facing a rugged warrior who has been in with the best in the
world over the last 14 years. Winner of four of his last five bouts, the
31-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico is ready for a battle with
"Boom Boom."
Former World Super Featherweight Champion Sirimongkol Singwancha (59-2,
34 KO's) of Thailand will return to fight in the United States for the
first time in over three years when he puts his 16 fight winning streak
on the line in a welterweight eight rounder against the always dangerous
Rogelio Castaņeda Jr. (24-14-3, 8 KO's) of Tijuana, Mexico.
Already 6-0 in 2008 and 8-0 with 7 KO's overall, Philadelphia's Danny
Garcia will look to keep the momentum going in his busy year when he
faces El Paso, Texas' Adan Hernandez (14-5, 5 KOs) in a junior
welterweight six rounder.
Also competing in six rounders will be lightweight Hylon Williams (5-0 1
KO) of Houston, Texas, against Carson, California's Ramon Flores (2-3-1,
2 KO's) and hard-hitting Cincinnati lightweight prospect Adrien Broner
(3-0, 3 KO's) making his debut under the Golden Boy Promotions banner
against tough veteran Terrance Jett of Las Vegas.
In the opening bout, junior featherweight Adrian Gonzalez will get a
chance to perform in front of his hometown fans in his pro debut when he
battles an opponent to be determined in a four round contest.
Source/PR
