Ricky Hatton vs Kostya Tszyu IBF light-welterweight championship of the World official press pack, 4th June 2005, M.E.N. Arena, Manchester.

Press packs are information packages that are assembled by promoters for members of the media who are assigned to report on the fight. A pack usually contains statistics and bio's on all the fighters and various personnell of the fight. All put together in an attractive folder.

Condition excellent

Hatton W TKO 11

Kostya Tszyu, 35, had held the 140-pound world title for 10 years he'd beaten Julio Cesar Chavez and Zab Judah and was Hatton's step onto the world stage. The lad from Manchester seized the moment and battered Tszyu into retirement. Referee Dave Parris helped. He let the boxers hold each other for extended periods and punch from clinches. Hatton mugged and manhandled Tszyu, neutralizing the champ's ability to fire off midrange jabs and rights, his most effective weapons. Tszyu did have success counter-punching early, and the fight seemed even halfway through. But Hatton walked through most Tszyu shots. Moving forward with uppercuts to the chin, rights to the face and left hooks to the body. Hatton seemed to grow in stature as the rounds wore on. The fight turned decisively on a foul in Round 9: Tszyu was warned for low punches, then Hatton threw a very low blow that sapped anything Tszyu had left. After Tszyu regrouped, Hatton swarmed. By the end of 11, Tszyu's face was swollen, and he was done. He didn't come out for the 12th. But he took the ring microphone and told the Manchester crowd: "I am a proud man....Today I lost to the better fighter."

Price: £35

Ricky Hatton two-time IBF Jr. Welterweight world champion, and former WBA super lightweight and welterweight world champion, has beaten defending world champions in four of his last five fights.

In his most recent fight in June, 2007, he defended the IBO Jr. Welterweight World title with a devastating 4-round stoppage against former Lightweight World Champion Jose Luis Castillo.

On January 1, Ricky was recognized by the Queen of England in the annual New Year's honors list, and received the title MBE (Member of the British Empire). The ceremony took place at Buckingham Palace, and he will now be known as Ricky Hatton, MBE.

Ricky had a breakout year in 2005 - his accomplishments stood heads and shoulders above those of every other fighter in the world, and he was voted "Fighter of the Year' by The Boxing Writers Association of America, and The Ring.

From TheRing-online.com, December 21, 2005: The Ring is pleased to announce that it has selected Ricky Hatton as 2005's Fighter of the Year. Hatton is the first-ever British boxer to receive the award since its inception in 1928.

Hatton earned top honors by stopping long-reigning junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu at the end of the 11th round on June 4 in Manchester, England. In his second bout of the year on November 26, Hatton knocked out WBA Junior welterweight titleholder Carlos Maussa in the ninth round in Sheffield, England.

"Not only did Hatton take the title away from one of the greatest 140-pounders of all-time and make his first defense against a highly rated challenger, he did it in the sort of entertaining and definitive manner that attracts fans and fills venues," said The Ring's Editor-in-Chief Nigel Collins Hatton joins a long list of famous fighters to win The Ring's Fighter of the Year award, starting with then- heavyweight champion Gene Tunney, Other past recipients include Muhammad Ali ('63, '72, '74, '75, '78), Joe Louis ('36, '38, '39, '41), Rocky Marciano ('52, '54, '55), Ray Robinson ('42, '51), and Mike Tyson ('86, '88).

Ricky has been the biggest draw in Great Britain for several years, with a huge, fanatical following in his hometown of Manchester.

Regarding his nickname, Ricky said, "I've always been a fan of Tommy Hearns, and everybody associates that that's where I got it from, but everybody's a Tommy Hearns fan. I got the nickname the first day I walked in the gym. I was 10 years old and put a pair of gloves on and started walloping the bag, and my amateur coach said, 'Look at him, look how evil he is. He's a little Hitman."