(Sports Network) - Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton rebounded from the only loss of his professional career in convincing fashion, retaining his Ring Magazine and IBO light welterweight titles with a 12-round unanimous decision over Juan Lazcano at City of Manchester Stadium. Hatton (44-1), a Manchester native, ran into trouble in the late rounds but still held on to earn a convincing 120-110, 118-110, 120-108 decision on the judges' scorecards.

The win in front of a raucous hometown crowd was a major comeback for Hatton, who had his 43-fight, 10-year win streak broken with a devastating TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather in December.

Lazcano (37-5-1), who was coming off a 15-month layoff, proved to be far less of an obstacle to the hometown hero.

While Hatton slipped just moments into the third round, he easily controlled the first seven rounds of the bout, pushing the pace and drilling Lazcano with combinations to the head and body. The challenger had a brief salvo in the fourth, pounding Hatton with a five-punch combo against the ropes, but the Brit continued to assert himself.

Lazcano finally staggered the champion with a left hook midway through the eighth, then teed off with body shots before Hatton responded with some powerful shots in the final minute.

"The Hitman" recovered in round nine, punishing the challenger with a series of combinations.

Hatton was hurt in the 10th, as Lazcano landed a pair of left hooks to the head as the champion looked to clinch. Moments later, however, Hatton's left shoe came untied and the fighters were sent to their corners.

Lazcano couldn't capitalize in the waning rounds, as Hatton cruised to the decision victory.

The night's semi-main event saw IBF light welterweight champion Paulie "Magic Man" Malignaggi triumph despite a broken right hand and problems with his hair, retaining his title with a hard-fought split decision over Lovemore N'dou.

Malignaggi (25-1), who beat N'dou (46-10-1) for the title in June 2007, won the mandatory rematch 116-112, 116-113, 114-115 on the scorecards.

Both fighters seemed slow and tentative throughout, especially Malignaggi, who was distracted several times when his dreadlocked hair fell over his face. In a bizarre turn of events, Malignaggi had much of the hair cut off after the eighth round in order to preserve his field of vision.

The champion, who apparently broke his right hand in the sixth round, still held off N'dou with a number of flurries in between the frequent clinches and won his fourth straight fight.

The win likely sets up the flashy Malignaggi -- who was heavily booed by the Manchester crowd -- for a future bout with Hatton.



















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