IBO world light welterweight champion Stevie “Lil’ But Bad” Johnston challenges WBA/IBA world light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton

Press release: A few weeks back WBA/IBA World Light Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton sat in the ESPN studios on a Friday night proudly proclaiming that he has come to America to train and fight … to test his skills against the best fighters America has to offer … and to let the American public get a chance to see him in action. 

Stevie Johnson sat in his home in Vero Beach, FL. Thinking “this is great news.  I’ll definitely be in line for a shot at his titles sometime in the near future.”

Johnston and everyone else was caught by surprise when it was announced that Mexican Juan Lazcano would be the first opponent to face Hatton on American soil at the Foxwood Casino and on HBO on May 13th. 

“Hatton said he came here to fight the best fighters America has to offer not fighters from Mexico or Latin American countries,” Johnston said.  “Why would they overlook me to fight a Mexican fighter?”

As a current IBO Light Welterweight World Champion and two time former WBV World Lightweight Champion Johnston has an outstanding professional record of 38-3-1 with 17 KOs and has won 8 of his last nine fights while proving to be a crowd favorite with great appear during his appearances on HBO especially with his great fights against Jose Luis Castillo. 

Johnston also has had major wins over James Page, Sharmba Mitchell, Angel Manfredy, Corey Johnson, Jean Baptiste Mendy, Saul Duran, Cesar Bazan and Steve Quinonez to name but a few.

As fate would have it Lazcano suffered a broken finger in training this past Wednesday and has had to withdraw from the fight with Hatton.  Johnston believes he is the perfect replacement and has called upon Hatton to “fight me or go home”.

“Hatton was very respectful to all fighters during his commentary on ESPN,” Johnston  states, “I am not being disrespectful when calling him out to accept my challenge and to fight the best American fighter available in his weight class … ME!”

“Styles make for good fights,” Johnston continues, “and with his aggressive style against my boxing skills it will be the classic boxer/brawler match up and make for a great fight.  Come on Ricky … let’s get it on!”

Johnston has moved to Vero Beach, FL. and has been  training with Buddy McGirt for his upcoming fight Mar. 31st vs. Luis Ernesto Jose (24-4-2) in Tampa, FL.

His manager Jim Rider and promotion company Silverhawk World Class Boxing are very serious about Johnston’s challenge to Hatton and are working aggressively to make it happen.  

“It’s time for Hatton to back up what he said on ESPN”, Johnston adds, “time for him to step into the ring with me.”