Six-time boxing champion Ricky Hatton MBE arrived in Dubai to perform his stand-up routine at the PIC deVere Group evening at the Montgomerie Hotel and announce his plans to bring boxing to the UAE.
“Boxing has provided a good life for me and my family and I still love the sport. It’s been great travelling around the world fighting and now I’m here in Dubai. This is an awesome place, but this region is an untapped market for boxing and has huge potential for the sport,” says Hatton.
“Over the past twelve months I’ve been to places such as Macau and Australia to look at our global development and now we’re here to see what the UAE has to offer. Within twelve months we’ve become one of the biggest promoters in the UK and are now taking our expertise to some key countries that we feel are in need for development.
“It’s crying out for professional boxing here as the Middle East is becoming a sports powerhouse and it’s a natural progression that boxing should follow suit. I’ve had a great career through boxing and been world champion six times, now I want to help some other promising young fighters become a world champion.
“Brand Hatton is already in talks to bring some top fights here and we’re also planning to build boxing in the region from the grass roots. We’ve even been speaking to a number of investors about the potential of a Ricky Hatton Boxing Academy,” he says.
Spencer Lodge of PIC deVere Group explains why he has brought the boxer to the UAE from the UK. He says, “Obviously Ricky is here to entertain our clients, but deVere Group has helped sports development in the UAE for many years now. We’re committed to our support of sport here in region through football and rugby and are proud to be involved in the fledgling boxing scene now.
“We’re keen to work with young boxers to help them manage their new found wealth as they find themselves with a lot of money very quickly. However, as their careers can be short it’s even more important they provide for their future while they can.
“It’s great to have a sportsman of his calibre here to meet our valuable clients and we’re keen to help promoters such as Hatton to look after the young boxers in this country.”
Hatton adds: “Our management company has only been operating for a year and we already have three European champions, two Commonwealth champions and a number of British champions, so we know a thing or two about breeding top boxers. Perhaps before too long we can help create the first UAE world champion.”
Hatton discussed his career and performed a comedy routine based around the events of his life for the VIP guests of Independent Financial Advisors, PIC deVere Group at the one off event.
