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Random settles Warren libel

03.09.08 Benedicte Page

Random House has settled a libel claim from boxing promoter Frank Warren over allegations made in Ricky Hatton’s autobiography The Hitman (Ebury).

The publisher has agreed to pay Warren £115,000 in damages, plus legal costs (reported to be £2m), over three allegations originally contained in the book. These included one alleging that Warren had conned boxer Vince Phillips into accepting a low fee to fight Hatton by lying about the sale of US TV rights, and another claiming that Warren had pressurised Hatton to fight boxer Carlos Vilches while allegedly unfit to compete. There was also dispute over how much Warren had paid Hatton, while he managed him.

The promoter had engaged leading libel lawyers Carter-Ruck to fight his case, which was due to begin trial on 1st December.

In a statement issued by his lawyers, Warren said he was "pleased that Random House has finally acknowledged by their offer of substantial damages that these serious and highly damaging allegations are wholly indefensible". He was also critical of Random House for having "dragged me through many weeks of Court hearings, all to no avail."

Random House said that it had recalled the last edition of the book with a revised edition, following the settlement of Warren’s claim against Random House, to be issued "imminently".

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