Boxing: Ricky Hatton has confirmed he will relinquish his IBF light-welterweight title in order to step up a division to meet Luis Collazo.
Hatton dramatically seized the IBF belt with last year's stunning victory over Kostya Tszyu before unifying the WBA belt with victory over Carlos Maussa. But Hatton has chosen to take on America's WBA welterweight king Collazo in Boston on May 13th in an attempt to become a two-weight world champion, rather than taking on IBF 10-stone mandatory challenger Ben Rabah.
A statement from the 27-year-old Mancunian said: "It is with the greatest regret that I must surrender my IBF light-welterweight title.
"Winning the IBF Championship was without doubt the greatest night of my life and to have to give it up outside of the ring is truly a painful experience.
"It has never been my or my team's intention not to defend my title against the IBF's appointed challenger but sadly due to outside influences, legal problems and problems meeting TV schedules, it seems that this is the situation I find myself in."
A lucrative showdown with the great Floyd Mayweather remains a possibility at some point in the future.
Mayweather has also made the step up to welterweight having already won world titles at super-featherweight, lightweight and light-welterweight.
Last weekend Mayweather claimed the IBF welterweight title from Zab Judah in a controversial points win which was marred by a ring fracas started by his uncle and trainer Roger.
