By Lee Elford

For a stable which includes British champions Martin Murray and Anthony Crolla, former European champions and light middleweight world title challengers Mathew Hatton and Ryan Rhodes, as well as hot welterweight contender Denton Vassell, former two weight world champion Ricky Hatton’s “Hatton Promotions” has made significant ground in personnel acquitted and their involvement in promoting some high profile fights, including Amir Khan, all in just over a year since “The Hitman” announced his retirement.

As a promoter, Ricky’s style has mirrored that of his time in the ring; all action, entertaining, exciting and with great success – Denton Vassell is undefeated, Anthony Crolla has developed into a major force at domestic level and Martin Murray recently turned in a memorable performance earning a draw against WBA middleweight king Felix Sturm. So, in hindsight it is natural to get optimistic about his latest acquisition.

Northern Ireland’s Ryan Burnett, just 19 years old, signed professionally with Hatton’s blossoming set-up back in February this year. He brings with him one of the most outstanding amateur pedigrees to ever emerge from Ireland and Great Britain – winning 98 of his 94 amateur bouts picking up six county championships and four Ulster championships in his native Ireland. He would move on to win a multi-nations Bronze and Gold and make the World Amateur championship final. After falling short here at the hands of the world champion, he progressed further by defeating the world number three and world champion en-route to claiming the youth Olympic gold in Singapore.

Ryan took time from his hectic training schedule building up to his pro debut (thought to be April 21st) to have a quick word on his life as a youngster, his influences and his aspirations.

“Life was good growing up I have a family that loves me,” said Burnett when speaking to Boxingscene.com.  “I was always fighting, I had a name for myself and people always wanted to fight me! I was suspended so many times from school for it.”

Ryan projects all the minerals needed to make it in the tough game of boxing, enthusiasm, self-belief and an unshakeable will to win.

He said: “I was nine when I first started. My dad always had boxing gloves on me from no age. One day a friend of mine started boxing and I asked if I could go along with him, he thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. I asked my Mum and Dad to take me to the gym and I loved it, they couldn’t get me out of the gym.”

“I didn’t really look up to anyone. I just wanted to make my family proud and myself proud. I saw people with a great life and always wanted that, boxing was the way forward for me.”

Ryan’s favourite fighters are Roy Jones Jr, who he regards as a great fighter, and Manny Pacquiao for his speed in the ring and the way he carries himself outside of it, being a “great person to others.” The young Irishman’s ambitions and character underline the general perception that he too could well scale the heady heights of these two living legends of the sport.

“The only thing I want in life is to be a world champion,” he said.  “I told my Dad I would be number one in the amateur game and I did, then I told him I will be number one in the pro game, and I will. In the ring, I believe I want to win more than the opponent in front of me. I have something that pushes me, a promise. I just can’t wait for my first fight.”

With that debut edging ever closer it would undoubtedly be a nervy time for Burnett, but it’s apparent that Ricky Hatton’s light hearted charisma, experience, winning mentality and likability from his pro days has manifested into the Hatton gym in Hyde where all his fighters feel in a comfortable place from which to ply their trade, and things are no different with their latest recruit.

“I am a relaxed and nice person by nature and I’m always up for a laugh. I know I just have to stick at what I’m doing no matter what because this game is full of ups and downs. Me and Ricky get on great, we are both always messing about. This one time when we were doing the pads, a song came on and we both started dancing. Ricky always has a smile on his face and that makes it good in the gym.”

With a proposed date of April 21 boxing fans do not have long to wait before the amateur king now under the wing of Ricky Hatton and the team at Hatton Promotions makes his anticipated professional bow, and few would doubt that Ryan Burnett is set to make huge strides in the coming years.