Hatton regains IBF title

Ricky Hatton reclaimed his old IBF light-welterweight title with a gruelling points victory over previously unbeaten Colombian Juan Urango at the Paris Casino in Las Vegas.

Although he claimed wide 119-109 verdicts on all three judges' scorecards, Hatton was taken to the limit by his opponent and seemed to fade badly through the final two rounds.

Frequently jolted to the body throughout the contest, Hatton also appeared to be hampered by a recurrence of an old right-arm injury as he increasingly became more reliant on his left.

But ultimately the dazzling footwork and superb movement of the Manchester 'Hit Man' secured him victory over a come-forward opponent, whom he made look relatively one-dimensional.

Hatton had started well on his big Las Vegas debut, quickly settling into his rhythm and launching a series of nice left uppercuts to hold back the advancing Urango.

A right hand through the middle gave Hatton early control in round two, with the much more static Urango struggling to figure out a way to get close to his opponent.

Hatton dug a right hand deep into Urango's ribs in the third, but the Colombian looked the durable sort and enjoyed a much better end to the third as a series of right hands gave the Mancunian plenty to think about.

Resuming after a break, Hatton landed a booming right hand midway through the fourth round - and was clearly well ahead of his rival in terms of his speed and movement.

But the muscle-bound Urango was gaining in confidence, raising his arms to Hatton's jeering fans at the end of the fourth, and crashing home a right in round five as Hatton momentarily lost his balance.

It was a difficult fifth round for Hatton, who was hurt to the body and using his right hand sparingly - raising fears he had aggravated a bicep injury he had sustained in training.

Hatton's ring-craft enabled him to pull himself back into control of the fight during a series of quiet middle rounds, and by the eighth a screwing left hook underlined his lead.

But Urango emerged again in the ninth round, giving the challenger a taste of his own medicine by digging another left hand deep to the body.

Hatton, still sprightly on his feet, seldom seemed troubled by Urango's advances - but he would have wished for a much more straight-forward night on the occasion of his Las Vegas debut.

Urango may have been behind on points but he was cranking up the pace in the penultimate round, with a left to the body followed by a superb right hook which had Hatton blinking.

Another body shot hurt Hatton. But the round degenerated into a series of tired mauls, one of which sent the Manchester hero down on one knee after being caught off balance.

He was clinging on early in the 12th after another booming combination from Urango, and the final moments ticked by with Hatton clearly relishing the sound of the final bell.

Hatton acknowledged afterwards he had been in a tough battle but maintained: 'I have done what I had to do to win it.

'The way the two of us fight, it was always going to be tough. He takes some shifting - he is very strong.'