Dalton Smith will receive the first ever WBC legacy belt named in honour of British boxing legend Ricky Hatton.
Smith captured the WBC super-lightweight title back in January after a knockout win over Subriel Matias, becoming the latest British fighter to earn world honours in the 140lb division.
Another man who famously held gold at super-lightweight was Hatton, who packed out arenas on both sides of the pond as he became unified world champion, claiming wins over legends such as Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo along the way.
‘The Hitman’ sadly passed away at the age of 46 back in September, but it has now been announced that the new belt will be created to pay tribute to Hatton, and Smith is delighted to be the first recipient.
“Growing up, Ricky Hatton was my hero. Everything about him – the way he fought, the way he carried himself and the connection he had with the fans – he was what made me fall in love with boxing.
“To receive the inaugural Ricky Hatton WBC Legacy Belt, in Manchester and at the AO Arena of all places, honestly means a huge amount to me.
“Ricky inspired a generation of fighters from the North and across Britain, and to be recognised in his name is something I’m incredibly proud of.“
The belt will be presented to Smith at the Evening4Ricky event that is being held at Manchester’s AO Arena on June 7th to remember Hatton, with some of the biggest names from boxing and entertainment coming together in celebration of ‘The Hitman.’
