Boxing: HATTON TURNS BACK ON SHEA.

Byline: NICK PEET 

IT'S becoming unlikely Ricky Hatton is going to bite and defend his WBU world title against former champion Shea Neary - even though promoter John Hyland has upped his offer to pounds 200,000 last night.

Hyland faxed Hatton's manager Frank Warren with a pounds 150,000 offer on Wednesday, but the contract was laughed off by Warren who insisted: ``Ricky Hatton is worth a lot more than that''.

Hyland came out this week and said: ``Shea never retired, he kept in shape and he wants to come back with a meaningful fight.

``Hatton never showed any credentials to us in his fight with Magee in June and this is a great fight for both of them. It's a very, very serious offer for a fight which would excite the public.''

Hyland's move to up the original fee by pounds 50,000 is a massive jump, but in truth Hatton is not willing to put his 30-0 professional record on the line in a bout which adds up to a no-win situation for him.

Neary, though still a name with the influential US home audience, has not fought since a controversial points defeat to Eamonn Magee in November 2000.

Building him up to be a worthy challenger would require a couple of warm-up bouts with, no doubt, a handful of Sky Sports exposure.

Neary made a name for himself as one of the most exciting fighters in Britain in the late `90s.

He beat Liverpool rival Andy Holligan in an unforgettable night in a circus tent in the middle of Stanley Park, before losing his crown to super-tough American Mickey Ward in March 2000.

But it seems Hatton would rather jump straigt to the level of world number three Ward than put his unbeaten record on the line against Merseyside's finest.

This one looks like no-contest already.

CAPTION(S):

TRUE TEST: Liverpool's Shea Neary stepped up against Mickey Ward - so why doesn't Ricky Hatton?