IBO champion Van Heerden to defend against Hatton

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

Welterweight belt on the line in February

South African southpaw Chris Van Heerden will put his IBO welterweight title on the line against former European champion Matthew Hatton in early 2013, it has been confirmed to WBN.

The Showpony Promotion will form part of the Nelson Mandela boxing tribute scheduled for the soccer stadium in Cape Town on February 2nd and could attract up to 30,000 spectators for the show, which will also include some famous veteran fighters participating in exhibition bouts.

25 year-old Van Heerden, who has just one contentious defeat in nineteen contests, dominated tough Argentinian Sebastian Lujan last time out to add to his impressive win over former world champion Kaizer Mabuza when he claimed the belt in September last year.

Hatton, 31, lost out to the undefeated Kell Brook last March to suffer his second loss in his last three bouts and the Mancunian is in need of a confidence boosting victory to get his career back on track.

The fight will represent a third world title tilt for ‘Magic’ Matthew after a loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in March 2011 up at a catchweight of 150lbs and a closely contested draw in 2009 with Lovemore Ndou for the strap Van Heerden now possesses.

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