Bolton 16th July

If a fighter down on his luck needs any inspiration to carry on boxing, he could do worse than look at the career story of Manchester's "Magic" Matthew Hatton.

After losing in six-rounders to unheralded pugs David Kirk and David Keir in the early part of the past decade, 29-year-old Matthew, brother of former light-welterweight king Ricky, was written off as a potential top level contender.

The determined Mancunian is now a shining example of how any fighter can battle his way back from the fistic scrapheap and prove his credentials at a high level.

At the Bolton Arena on Friday night (July 16), the younger Hatton sibling took the next step in his climb up the world welterweight rankings by retaining his European bauble with a unanimous decision over former WBA champion Yuriy Nuzhnenko.

But things didn't start well for the Englishman. Hatton looked tentative in the opening round and allowed Nuzhnenko to bully him back to the ropes.

And the Ukrainian's forceful start soon paid dividends as he swung a solid left hand around Hatton's high held guard and sent the defending champion to the canvas.

Hatton was quickly back to his feet and didn't appear too badly stunned but at this early stage there was surely a few ringside spectators who were beginning to think that maybe this man from the east was going to prove a class above the brit.

Nuzhnenko, whose only previous loss game against unbeaten countryman Vyacheslav Senchenko in a world title fight, continued to look the stronger and more skilled practitioner in the second session as he switched his attacks between the body and the head.

Things, however, turned in Hatton's favour mid-way through the third. Nuzhnenko continued to plough forward like a bull but now Hatton had turned matador and got off quality straight right hands to the head before stepping to the side.

And it was Hatton's continual use of lateral movement and quick fire counter punches that put the majority of the remaining rounds in the bag for him and saw his safely hang on to his beloved EBU strap.

The judges scores were 117 - 110 and 116 - 111 (twice).

This showing from Hatton could well earn him a shot at one of the sports many world titles within the next 12 months. If you'd have said that to most boxing fans a couple of years ago they probably would have laughed in your face but the man they call "Magic", now 40 - 4 - 2 (15KOs), is without doubt one of the most improved fighters on the planet.

St Helen's unbeaten Martin Murray moved to 20 - 0 (7 KOs) and became the Commonwealth middleweight champion by outboxing Australia's Peter Mitrevski Jnr over 12 rounds.

Judges Phil Edwards and John Keane saw it 120 - 109 while Howard Foster had it slightly wider at 120 - 108.

Full results

European Welterweight title
Matthew Hatton bt Yuriy Nuzhnenko   UD 12 12  

Vacant Commonwealth Middleweight title
Martin Murray bt  Peter Mitrevski Jr  UD 12 12  

Super bantamweight Scott Quigg bt  Gavin Reid  TKO 9 10  

Welterweight Craig Watson bt Stephen Okine  TKO 5 8  

Super featherweight Anthony Crolla  bt Chris Riley   PTS 6 6 

Super bantamweight Craig Lyon 10 bt Anwar Alfadli  PTS 4 4

Light heavyweight Navid Iran  bt Jamie Ambler   PTS 4 4  

Cruiserweight Matty Askin bt Lee Kellett  TKO 1 4  

Cruiserweight Chris Keane bt Hastings Rasani  PTS 4 4

Bantamweight Tasif Khan bt Francis Croes  PTS 4 4 

Super bantamweight Rhys Roberts bt Pavels Senkovs  PTS 4 4