Boxing: Hatton goes home to Manchester

Ricky Hatton will return to the ring at the home of his beloved Manchester City on 24 May when he defends his International Boxing Organisation light-welterweight title against Mexico's Juan Lazcano. It will be the first fight for Hatton since his defeat in Las Vegas last December at the fists of Floyd Mayweather and it will be his first fight in Manchester for three years.

Last week Hatton announced that his future fights in America would be promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy company, but this fight is likely to be put on at the City of Manchester stadium by Frank Maloney, Hatton and his father, Ray, and music company SJM.

Lazcano, who will be 33 when the contest takes place, has not fought since February last year and this fight has far more to do with a homecoming for Hatton than a test. Last year over 40,000 British fans travelled to Las Vegas to see Hatton's defeat to Mayweather and he promised one more fight in Manchester. There is every reason to believe that it could be his last ever fight in Britain.