MANCHESTER (England), June 5: Britain’s Ricky Hatton produced a superb performance to rip the IBF light-welterweight title from hot favourite Kostya Tszyu after 11 thrilling rounds on Sunday. The 26-year-old wore down the Russian-born Australian with a high tempo display until Tszyu, who has held a version of the title for 10 years and may now retire, could take no more and stayed on his stool before the final round.

Hatton now holds an unblemished 39-0 record.

Holder of the lightly-regarded WBU belt, Hatton adopted his usual attacking approach from the opening bell in front of a raucous home town crowd at Manchester’s M.E.N Arena, unsettling Tszyu with some positive if undisciplined punches.

The Briton took the first two rounds but his frenetic work began to backfire and the 35-year-old Tszyu threw the more quality punches, including some good left hooks, in the next few rounds.—Reuters