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Van Heerden eyes Hatton double: I’ll beat Matthew and then dare Ricky to go for revenge!

Phil D. Jay 
WBN Editor
South African confident of February win

IBO welterweight champion Chris Van Heerden is hoping to become the first fighter to defeat both Hatton brothers when ‘The Heat’ tackles the returning Ricky Hatton’s brother Matthew on February 2nd 2013.

The 25 year-old is due to announce a warm-up fight before his toughest career challenge against the younger Hatton next year and then hopes to elder sibling Ricky to avenge the defeat he promises to inflict on his brother.

“Right now I am 200% focused on my fight with Mathew, but I am very confident in beating him and after beating Matthew I would love to face Ricky,” Van Heerden told World Boxing News.

“A fight with Ricky would mean the world to me as he’s the real Hatton. He’s an idol to me but "The Heat" wants him even if it means I have to fight in England.”

Van Heerden enhanced his growing reputation with a dominant win over Sebastian Lujan in his previous bout and has his eyes on some of the bigger names a 147lbs in what is a packed division, with the returning Ricky Hatton one of the biggest.

“It will be huge for me,” he explained. “Mathew is quick to talk, but the fact is, after I beat him, the sad thing is they will still say I’ve beaten nobody.

“Like any boxer, we slowly build ourselves up and that’s what I am doing. I’m ranked number eight in the world by Boxrec at the moment and soon someone big will have to see the potential to fight me.

“The Question is ‘will Ricky Hatton step-up to defend his younger brothers honour after I beat Matthew?”

The fight with former European champion Matthew is set to take place in Cape Town on a massive bill featuring boxing stars past and present to celebrate former South African President Nelson Mandela.

Evander Holyfield and Ray Mercer are scheduled to take part in a four-round exhibition, whilst New Zealand rugby star Sonny Bill Williams is also rumoured to be making an appearance.

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