Saturday, May 24 sees a record breaking show in the United Kingdom with 55,000 fans packed into the home of Manchester City Football Club to witness the homecoming of their favorite son, Ricky Hatton. Ricky defends his IBO light welterweight crown and the most prestigious title in world boxing, the Ring Magazine belt, against Mexican-American hard man Juan Lazcano.

The eyes of the boxing world will be firmly focused on May 24 at 10PM when the first bell goes to see which Ricky Hatton steps into the ring. The big question will be has the loss to Floyd Mayweather done anything to the man’s boxing ability and his belief in himself?

Very few fighters throughout history have stayed undefeated including such greats as Roberto Duran, Lennox Lewis, Marvin Hagler, Thomas Hearns and Sugar Ray Leonard, but it is the nature of how a fighter comes back after a loss that is very important and that is what everyone will be judging Ricky Hatton upon.

In Autumn, Ricky Hatton is expected to step into the ring with IBF light welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi, who is certainly not shy about coming forward and voicing his opinion on the Hatton situation.

Malignaggi will be defending his world title against Lovemore Ndou in a rematch on May 24 at City of Manchester Stadium. Both Hatton and Malignaggi know there is so much on the line and understand that they have to each give their best so the public will demand a match between them later this year.

One of the most intriguing contests on this five title fight card is a Commonwealth Welterweight title bout between two Mancunians. The champion, Craig Watson, who against all odds beat the more experienced Ali Nuumbembe to win the title on December 8, faces Matthew Hatton, the younger brother of Ricky, who is looking to add the first major professional title to his name in pursuit of his own world title honours. This bout has definitely caught the imagination of the British fight fans.

The other two championship fights feature an English light middleweight title bout between the champion, the much avoided Andrew Facey, against Manchester’s Thomas McDonagh and for the vacant English super bantamweight title, Liverpool’s Mark Moran goes against Danny Wallace, the half-brother of former British super feather champion Carl Johanneson. Both Moran and Wallace know that a good win could put them in for a shot against European champion Rendall Munroe.

Doors open at 5:00PM, boxing starts at 5:30PM and the show will be over by 11:00PM so the fans can go out and enjoy the hospitality of Manchester’s restaurants, bars and clubs.

Any remaining tickets to Hatton vs. Lazcano can be purchased on www.ticketmaster.co.uk , www.seetickets.com , www.gigsandtours.com and www.rickyhitmanhatton.co.uk .

For those unlucky enough to not be among one of the 55,000 to witness this event in person, it can be viewed live on Sky Boxing Office starting at 7:30PM.

Frank Maloney Promotions also announce the British light heavyweight title fight between champion Tony Oakey and challenger Dean Francis on Friday, June 13 at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth, England.

Chagaev – Valuev II Postponed

The highly anticipated May 31st heavyweight title rematch between unbeaten WBA heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev and former champion Nikolai Valuev has been postponed after Chagaev came down with an illness and was forced to quit sparring..

“Ruslan Chagaev suffers from a protracted virus infection,” stated his Dr. Michael Ehnert. “In medical terms it’s a viral laryngitis and pharyngitis. For non-doctors, it’s a highly feverish viral infection of the upper respiratory tract with heavy symptoms. The medical treatment makes it absolutely necessary that he stop training.” Chagaev’s trainer Michael Timm was forced to miss the title defense of stablemate First Arslan last Saturday with similar symptoms.

Universum Box-Promotion has already advised the WBA and other involved parties of a possible short term alternate date for the fight.

More will be announced at a press conference on Wednesday.

Pacquiao vs. David Diaz Live on HBO PPV

When two explosive world champions at the top of their game mix it up for the world title, it’s a “Lethal Combination!” Newly-crowned World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight champion MANNY PACQUIAO and WBC lightweight champion DAVID DIAZ will battle in a 12-round rumble with Diaz’s title at stake. Promoted by Top Rank, in association with MP Promotions, Pacquiao vs. Diaz will take place Saturday, June 28, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT..

Remaining tickets for Pacquiao vs.Diaz, priced at $600, $400, $300, $200 and $100, can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office and at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers, Macy’s West at the Fashion Show Mall, and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000 or Mandalay Bay (702) 632-7580. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

“This will be my hardest-fought battle,” said Pacquiao. “It’s been over three years since I have changed weight divisions and I will be doing it against the lightweight division’s world champion. I saw how he took the fight to Erik Morales in his last title defense and I’m expecting to see the same firepower out of him when we meet. But this is my drive for five. Five world titles in five different weight classes and I will not be denied. I am fighting for history, for destiny and for my people of the Philippines.”

“Manny Pacquiao has beaten many great fighters, especially Mexicans like Morales, Barrera, Marquez, Larios and Solis. That’s why they call him “The Mexicutioner,” said Diaz. “I will shock the world and beat Pacquiao at his own game, power for power. He’s a great champion but he’s fighting in my division – lightweight. I have worked too hard for this world title and I will not give it up to him.”

“Two world champions, at the top of their game, matching each other in speed, power, stamina and courage is a recipe for a great fight,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “Manny has never felt the power thrown at this weight class just as Diaz has never gone toe-to-toe with such a human dynamo. But Manny possesses an inner strength from his fellow countrymen the likes I have never seen as a promoter with over 40 years of experience. Manny is more than a national treasure to the Philippines, he is the very symbol of its national pride. He doesn’t fight for himself, he fights for his people. It’s a responsibility that no other athlete could, or attempt to, accomplish.”

“Boxing fans recognize that in Pacquiao vs. Diaz you have one of the sport’s best fighters and biggest attractions moving up in weight to challenge a bigger, stronger champion,” said HBOPPV’s Mark Taffet. “It’s a very intriguing proposition and we look forward to the event.”

Dubbed “Republica Enemy No. 1,” Pacquiao (46-3-2, 34 KOs), from General Santos City, Philippines, has blitzed through the best fighters Mexico has had to offer since 2003 including Erik Morales (KO 3, TKO 10), Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO 11, W 12), Juan Manuel Marquez (W 12, D 12), Oscar Larios (W 12), Emanuel Lucero (TKO 3), Hector Velazquez (TKO 6) and Jorge Solis (KO 8). Pacquiao was named 2006 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring magazine for his two spectacular knockout victories of Mexican icon and three-division champion Morales, as well as his dominating 12-round unanimous decision over former world champion Larios. The hard-hitting southpaw has won 22 of his last 23 bouts including 2007 victories over Barrera and Solis. Pacquiao’s 12-round split decision victory over Marquez earlier this year not only avenged a disputed draw from their 2004 battle, it also made Pacman a four-division world champion.

Diaz (34-1-1, 17 KOs), from Chicago, will be making the second defense of his title. He successfully defended it against the three-division world champion Morales last summer winning a hard-fought unanimous decision over the future Hall of Famer. Although behind on the scorecards early, Diaz remained cool and rallied before the raucous hometown Chicago crowd of 10,000 to capture the decision. He swept the championship rounds and won the decision by scores of 114-113, 115-113 and 115-112. With the victory, Diaz cemented his place among the best lightweights in the sport and one of the most popular and respected athletes in the sports-crazy town of Chicago. A member of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Diaz, with 12 years of experience as a professional, is more than prepared to handle the pressures that come with battling boxing’s pound-for-pound most exciting fighter.

The Pacquiao vs. Diaz pay-per-view telecast beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Pacquiao vs. Diaz fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.