Hitman Hatton's poster goes under hammer in Richie Woodhall's charity auction
Richie Woodhall's next charity auction will be held next week – and a giant world title fight poster signed by Ricky Hatton being the next item to go under hammer.
The large poster, promoting Hatton's "Hitman Invasion" world welterweight title fight in Boston, Massachusetts, in May 2006, will be auctioned off at Halls in Shrewsbury to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
It will be the third in a series of auctions Richie is holding in partnership with the Shropshire Star and Hall to raise money for cancer charities in memory of his father Len.
Len, who was a major influence on Richie's boxing career, died in July last year at the age of 75 following a long battle with cancer.
He has handed a collection of boxing memorabilia over to the Shropshire Star which will be sold in a series of auctions.
Richie said he had chosen Macmillan because of the work its nurses did providing vital support not just for the patient, but also for the families involved.
"People don't realise how much the other family members go through, and having the Macmillan nurses there to provide support and information means such a lot," he said.
Richie attended the Hitman Invasion fight at the TD Bankdnorth Garden, and says it was a memorable event.
The then-unbeaten Mancunian, who was already in possession of the IBF belt at light welterweight, added the WBA welterweight title with a points triumph over his American opponent. Two of the judges scored it 115-112 in his favour, with the other official's card read 114-113.
"It was his second world title fight, and it set up the big fight with Mayweather the following year.
"Ricky is still very popular in the boxing world, his style of boxing is very exciting, he's a right-in-your-face type fighter."
The auction will be held at Halls headquarters in Bowmen Way, Battlefield on Wednesday, starting 10am.
