Critics' Choice

Film

Andrew O'Hagan

quote Precious is a new-style weepie but one that is much more bracing than depressing quote

Henry Hitchings

quote Ian McKellen is captivating throughout. He delights in the play’s gallows humour, yet is also maudlin and poignant quote

Waiting for Godot Theatre

Fiona Mountford

quote Slight quibbles notwithstanding, this will set the West End’s stock riding high quote

Enron

Reader reviews

Film

Simon, London

quote Utterly, utterly brilliant. You really are in for a treat quote

A Prophet Theatre

Ella, London

quote Though 'Trilogy' has won rave reviews, I personally found myself exasperated after about an hour quote

Trilogy Restaurants

Dave A, London

quote We went on a quiet sunday evening and the food was excellent, but the experience let down by the service and ambiance quote

Mansons

Hatton's heroics have Khan dreaming of glory

By David Smith, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 07.06.05

Add your view

Amir Khan today revealed how watching Ricky Hatton deliver one of the greatest displays by a British boxer has given him new motivation to become a world champion.

Khan was ringside at Manchester's MEN Arena on Sunday morning to see Hatton force Kostya Tszyu, the IBF light-welterweight title-holder, to retire just before the 12th round.

The Olympic silver medallist found himself caught up in the emotion of the moment and joined in as a sell-out crowd of 22,000 chanted Hatton's name.

"Now I want a piece of that," said Khan as he prepared for a professional debut in Bolton on 16 July. "I want to be a world champion just like Ricky, and I want to do it just like Ricky. He boxed brilliantly and I can learn so much from the way he went about the fight."

Khan's career mirrors that of Hatton. Both men were successful as amateurs, Khan will fight as a paid boxer for the first time at 18, the same age as Hatton when he made his pro debut, and they both train in Manchester, albeit in the company of rival trainers.

Khan insists he will offer the same commitment to training that enabled Hatton to outlast Tszyu. He said: "Ricky's fitness was brilliant, he was strong and he kept his composure. That was down to his training and his confidence. He didn't give Tszyu a break.

"Ricky has put professional boxing in England back on top again. We've struggled since Naseem Hamed and Lennox Lewis retired. Now we have a true champion again."

Hatton has been lined up for a fight in New York against tough lightweight Diego Corrales or Miguel Cotto, the WBO light-welterweight champion. But WBA belt-holder Vivian Harris has declared an interest in taking Hatton on.