Eddie Hearn: ‘Campbell Hatton should consider if he wants to continue in the sport’

Campbell Hatton suffered another major setback in his short professional career last night at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, now believes he will have to consider if he wishes to continue in the sport.

Hatton took on former 140-pound Central Area title holder James Flint for the second time at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena. The pair had met earlier this year in an entertaining affair that saw Hatton well beaten. Hatton then made major changes to his training team after the defeat, he parted ways with his uncle Matthew Hatton and teamed up with Barry Smith at the Ben Davison Performance Centre. 

The switch seemed to have been a good move and because of Hatton’s performances at his new gym, his team jumped into an immediate rematch with Flint. The fight did not go as planned, however, and Hatton put in a similar performance that saw him beaten on all three judges’ scorecards. Hatton’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, now believes the youngster will have to consider his place in the sport. 

“It’s difficult because he’s very young,” said Hearn. “If the guy was 29 or 30, you’d say that’s your lot but when you’re enjoying what you do. I think right now Campbell Hatton’s level is Area and English title level – that’s no disgrace, a lot of fighters don’t even reach that level. But obviously, with our stable, and where we are looking to take fighters, we don’t really work with and continuously back – after back-to-back defeats – Area title and English level fighters.

“Campbell is a little bit different,” he continued. “One, because he’s a really good kid. Two, because he works his nuts off. Three, because he’s given us back-to-back brilliant fights and he’s still young. So, Campbell has got to look at himself and say, ‘If that’s my level, am I happy to continue?’ And if he’s happy to continue, he should absolutely continue. Whether that’s to go and get a few more fights on small hall shows without the pressure – he ends up being co-main event tonight in front of like 8,000, it’s not easy. 

“Many thought he won the fight, I went in the changing room after, and I spoke to Ricky Hatton. Ricky thought he edged the fight and I said, ‘In my opinion, I thought you lost 6-4, I’m going to give you my honest opinion.’ But when it’s 6-4, it can go either way. Again, he gave us a brilliant fight, but he just wasn’t good enough and he’s not really progressing. The performance wasn’t really much better, in my opinion, than the last performance, but he’s young and if he’s enjoying the game and wants to stick at it – then he absolutely should.”