Ricky Hatton vs Jose Luis Castillo official on-site programme, 23rd June 2007, Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas.

Condition mint

Hatton W KO 4

The rib-crushing Hatton left hook that ended this megafight so suddenly, in Round 4, landed low and hard on Castillo's right side. The best word to describe what happened is to say that Castillo recoiled. He took a step back, and did a 360-degree spin move to get away fast, and dropped to one knee and put down a glove to steady himself on the ground, like he was going to throw up. It looked like someone who'd just touched a burning hot stove and he stayed down; Castillo wanted no more. The high-glamour match had promised to be a war between two champions (Castillo was an ex-champ) who liked to bang at close range. But Castillo never got going. It may have been the weight (Castillo had grown out of the 135 pound class and wasn't used to bigger opponents). It could have been the years of punches taking their toll on Castillo. Or it could have been Hatton whose body attack was fierce enough to make another dangerous opponent, coming into the fight, seem like a shot fighter going out.

Price: £25

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."