Boxing: Hatton a cut above as old warrior takes him to the limit

Ricky Hatton carved the most prestigious notch of the 10 on his World Boxing Union light-welterweight belt when he defeated easily the most accomplished opponent he has faced, the ring-hardened American veteran Vince Phillips, here last night.

The 24-year-old Mancunian needed the full 12 rounds to overcome a man who has fought the world's best and beaten some of them. He needed all his dazzling repertoire of hooks, uppercuts and crosses finally to overwhelm 39-year-old Phillips with a unanimous verdict, all three ringside judges scoring him a comprehensive winner with markings of 119-109, 120-107 and 120-108 which meant he had lost only one round according to one judge.

It was a belter of a fight, bruising for both men, a breathless rendition of the true ferocity of the noble art. Phillips may have a lot of mileage on the clock but he is much more than an old banger. He knows the ropes and is as tough as the old army boots he once wore.

It was easily the hardest of Hatton's 32 fights to date. He had to survive a cut eye in the first round – the first time he has suffered this type of wound since acquiring the title – but he also inflicted cuts around the American's eyes, and in the end, Phillips took quite a battering, although he was always disturbingly dangerous with the right hand that once put paid to the world's current best light-welter-weight, Kostya Tszyu.

Hatton may have had even more of a fight on his hands had Phillips not been battling jet lag and apparently his American promoter, Sugar Ray Leonard, who did not accompany him. Phillips' departure from the US was delayed by a passport hitch and a dispute over alimony, and at Friday's weigh-in, he had to strip naked to make the 10-stone limit after apparently sweating off several pounds.

Hatton was fighting to win the hearts and minds of the American public, who needed to know whether the Mancunian is the real deal. He has a habit of electrifying his hometown arena and although he made some mistakes once again he gave a switched-on performance for some 12,000 fans.

The velocity and ferocity of Hatton's punches had Phillips on the retreat for much of the fight, even though his defensive tactics were sometimes as slippery as the ring floor.

Hatton later paid tribute to the older man's desire and durability. "I take my hat off to him. He was absolutely incredible. I was a little bit reckless out there, but at least I've beaten a top guy and now I'm ready for the best.'' A hitch had delayed the start of the fight with the Phillips camp haggling over money. Promoter Frank Warren called it "a bit of brinkmanship".

Hatton's closest domestic rival, Junior Watter of Bradford, kept the pot boiling nicely for their projected Maine Road showdown this summer by adding the European light-welterweight title to the British and Commonwealth crowns he already holds when the champion, Jurgen Haek of Belgium, was forced to retire at the end of the fourth round with severe facial damage. The result was rarely in doubt as switch-hitter Witter broke up the Belgian's defence, flooring him in the fourth. Haek speaks four languages but is less expressive with his fists.

The novelty of the night was the 200th appearance of Peter Buckley, Britain's most seasoned fighter. The have-gumshield-will-travel light- weight from Birmingham has trodden boxing's boards more than anyone in half a century, winning only 28 of those bouts, losing the last 24 but rarely getting a pasting. The 34-year-old, described by his manager Nobby Nobbs as "the ultimate pro'', is also the ultimate opponent but for the first time he was given the star treatment including a rousing ring walk. All to no avail. He lost again, this time over four rounds on points to Coventry's Baz Carey.