![Ricky Hatton: 'It’s nice to see that Ireland has a conveyor belt that has talent that can end up where Carl [Frampton] is.'](https://www.rte.ie/images/000c46d3-800.jpg)
Ricky Hatton claims he will be chasing any Irish Olympians eager to turn professional following this summer’s Rio Games.
The former two-weight world champion was present in Dublin on Monday to formally launch a new promotional venture he hopes will lead to regular pro fight nights taking place in the Irish capital, the first of which takes place on 25 June at the National Stadium.
The bill will feature a host of up-and-coming Irish talent, including Hatton’s Navan protégé Chris Blaney and European amateur medallist Eric Donovan.
Hatton trains former Irish Elite finalist Blaney as well as the Upton brothers, but the Mancunian has his eye on Ireland’s six-strong Olympic team, which may yet increase in numbers before Rio.
“I’d like to think that when the boys who win medals want to go pro that I can be the one to take them to the next level,” said Hatton, speaking at the Westside Boxing Club in Tallaght.
“It’s nice to see that Ireland has a conveyor belt that has talent that can end up where Carl [Frampton] is,” added the 37-year-old, who is working alongside Dublin-based FS Promotions.
Hatton believes the new promotional outfit are capable of staging around four fight nights a year in the Irish capital.
“Eventually if we keep doing what we’re doing and obviously when my stable grows, then every couple of months should be easy,” he said.
