Boxing: IBF light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton is to surrender his title after refusing to fulfil a mandatory defence against Ben Rabbah.
The Manchester boxer, who won the belt after beating Kostya Tszyu last summer, is stepping up a weight to take on some bigger names and feels Rabbah is not a worthy opponent.
"I have a great relationship with the IBF and they understood why I couldn't go through with a mandatory defence against Rabbah," Hatton (27) said.
"I step up a division to fight Luis Collazo in May for his WBA welterweight title and after that there should be a few big-name bouts for me.
"They would be career-defining fights for me and with all due respect to Rabbah he cannot be counted among the big names.
"In an ideal world I'd like to keep all belts but that is not possible in this day and age." PA