RICKY HATTON: “SHE’S GOING TO RACE THROUGH THE RANKINGS”

Ricky Hatton, the 43-year-old former Light-Welterweight champion, has been overseeing the development of Birkenhead’s undefeated Chloe Watson (2-0) as she prepares for her upcoming fight against Fara El Bousairi (5-2, 1 KO). The bout will be a homecoming for Watson as she performs in front of her home city, and a free-to-air audience live on Channel 5.

In other sporting contexts you’ll seldom find Manchester and Liverpool as a match made in heaven. Hatton and Watson have broken that taboo and are both singing from the same hymn sheet as she continues to progress at a rapid rate, much to the delight of her coach.

“She’s improving all the time. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day with a talent such as Chloe, and she’s getting better all the time,” he said.

“The most exciting thing as a coach working with her is that I don’t think we’ve even scraped the surface yet. You could see from day one that she had the talent with the amateur pedigree that she had, but she’s transformed that talent right into the pro game.”

There’s a great amount of excitement that surrounds a fighter performing in their home city, and Hatton is no stranger to the pressures and privileges of fighting in your own back yard. Having proudly boasted a 48-fight career, 17 of these have been in Manchester.

Liverpool has the possibility of birthing a new star in 22-year-old Watson and using her home city as a fortress is a prospect that Hatton likes the sound. Not only will the roar of the crowd spur her on, but it will also be an opportunity to add more to her ever-growing fanbase.

“It’s very important, I hope she has more fights on a regular basis in her hometown. Wasserman are doing a fantastic job with her anyway, but I always felt that fighting regularly in your hometown helps that fan base,” he said.

“Chloe has an exceptional fan base through what she has done as an amateur, and what she’s done in the early stages of her pro career. That fan base has got quite healthy suddenly, straight away, and I think once she has a few fights in her hometown she’ll go through the roof.”

The momentum that Watson has already gathered reflects the strong performances that have kicked off her early professional career. This Liverpool homecoming is arguably coming at the perfect time, as she prepares to put on a big performance having taken to professional boxing so naturally.

“The talent she has was obviously there to work with, and to be honest with you, when she first came down to the gym she had a bit of a professional boxing style already. She was good on her feet, very rhythmic, good movement, and her judging of distance was there,” said Hatton.

“Now she’s holding her feet a little bit more, coming back with two and three attacks and getting leverage and power in her shots. She’s added more to her game, sitting down on her punches, changing the angles and stuff like that; and that will just improve more and more as time goes by.”

With progression comes a step up in competition, and Spain’s Fara El Bousairi certainly meets the criteria. A fighter that the Watson camp have studied thoroughly throughout the camp, and remain fully aware of her strong record and potential threats.

Hatton remains keen to maintain a steady pace during the rise of his fighter however, and feels no need for any immediate rush to propel Watson to the top. This fight is a necessary challenge for her still, and it is a fight that they would not have accepted without having complete faith in the Liverpool fighter doing the business.

“This opponent has got a winning record, she’s very, very capable. I don’t think I’d have stepped her up if I didn’t think she was ready for it,” said Hatton.

“I think the way she’s handled the first few fights has shown what ability she’s got. I think the hardest thing will be for us to hold Chloe back because I think she’s going to race through the rankings the way she’s been developing in the gym, and how she’s transferring that from the gym into her fights.

“I think she’s going to shine again, and I think the most important thing is she keeps shining and keeps shining. I know I’ve picked this one but it’s also my job, and Team Wasserman’s job as we’re all one team, that even though she’s improving like she is we don’t necessarily need to floor it at this stage.”

Heavyweights collide as Nathan Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) takes on Tomas Salek (17-3, 13 KOs) as part of a huge night of free-to-air boxing on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena. ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly (10-1-1, 6 KOs) also features alongside an electric British Super Flyweight Title Eliminator between Liverpool’s Marcel Braithwaite (12-3) and Thomas Essomba (11-7-1, 4 KOs). This unbelievable card will also host the professional debut of Aaron Chalmers, former Team GB fighter Chloe Watson (2-0) against Fara El Bousairi  (5-2, 1 KO), the undefeated Paddy Lacey (2-0) , Mason ‘Nutty’ Cartwright (17-3, 7 KOs) and heavyweight giant ‘Magic’ Matty Harris (2-0, 1 KO). Promoted by Wasserman Boxing, live on Channel 5, in association with William Hill, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.
 
Tickets are available via https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/


WATSON STEPS UP AGAINST EL BOUSAIRI ON JUNE 17 IN LIVERPOOL

Chloe Watson (2-0) says she is ready to shine as the Birkenhead-boxer prepares to face Fara El Bousairi (4-2, 1 KO) in front of her home fans as part of a huge night of free-to-air boxing on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, live on Channel 5.

The former Team GB boxer has spent her whole life preparing for a moment like this, fighting on a televised card in her home city, but a game El Bousairi is not travelling from Spain simply to make up the numbers.

“She’s got an impressive winning record, so she’ll be definitely coming to win,” said Watson. “I believe these are the fights where you’ll see me shine, and there’s no better way to do that than to have a good competitive fight in my hometown of Liverpool.”

This will be a rise in competition for Watson, as the Flyweight prepares for her third professional fight since debuting in November 2021. The talented fighter has enjoyed an active start to her promising career, and at 22 years old, she is still learning her trade and using all the sacrifice from her past to keep her eyes on her goals.

“I’m fighting for the 8-year-old me who first went into the boxing gym and fell in love. I’m fighting for the 10-year-old me who turned up to the gym day in, day out. I’m fighting for the 15-year-old me who pushed past the first hurdles to go on and achieve success after,” said Watson.

“Secondly I’m boxing for my family. My younger brothers, sisters and cousins – to show them that if you want to commit yourself 100% then anything is possible. That’s something that I strongly believe.”

Watson has previously highlighted such fighters as Natasha Jonas and Katie Taylor as huge inspirations to her career. She wants to follow in the footsteps of those who impacted her involvement in the sport by doing the same for the future crop of female boxers.

“To see the progress that women’s boxing has made; female and male boxers hardly get separated in gyms much,” she says.

“Seeing how much I have progressed over the past decade is obviously something I’d like to use to get others inspired and involved. There’s so many pathways and opportunities for female fighters to do the same thing I love, it’s just a bonus for me if it can encourage anyone.”

Being able to encourage others and make statements can be a little bit easier on terrestrial television, and she will be taking the most of the opportunity to get her name out on free-to-air television.

“To be on Channel 5 and have all them eyes on me gives you that extra push. It makes you want to be in great fights and stand out so you can move towards achieving your goals,” said Watson.

“I believe this opportunity is really going to take me to the next level, it’s something I’m grateful for and I can’t wait to get the ball rolling on 17 June.”

The eyes of her fellow Liverpudlians will be keen to witness a new rising star from one of England’s greatest fighting cities. On a long list of her motivations, being moulded by a community that wants to support each other and share successes is something that fills her with added hunger to perform come fight night.

“I’m from an area where everyone likes to help one another and see each other succeed, and I appreciate the people of this city,” she said.

“I feel amazing about fighting in Liverpool to be honest. It is the best city when it comes to boxing, everyone wants to box there, I’ve never heard of any fighter say they’re not excited when a fight gets announced in Liverpool because the backing is just unbelievable. I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”

Heavyweights collide as Nathan Gorman (18-1, 12 KOs) takes on Tomas Salek (17-3, 13 KOs) as part of a huge night of free-to-air boxing on Friday June 17 at the M&S Bank Arena. Featuring an electric British Super Flyweight Title Eliminator between Liverpool’s Marcel Braithwaite (12-3) and Thomas Essomba (11-7-1, 4 KOs), the professional debut of Aaron Chalmers, former Team GB fighter Chloe Watson (2-0) against Fara El Bousairi (5-2, 1 KO), plus the undefeated Paddy Lacey (2-0) , Mason ‘Nutty’ Cartwright (17-3, 7 KOs) and heavyweight giant ‘Magic’ Matty Harris (2-0, 1 KO). Promoted by Wasserman Boxing, live on Channel 5, in association with William Hill, Numan and Infinitum Entertainment.

Tickets are available via https://www.ticketquarter.co.uk/