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IBF CHAMPION Ricky Hatton.
Floyd fight for the Hitman?
Gavin Browne30/ 6/2005
RICKY Hatton and promoter Frank Warren will talk in the next few weeks about the possibility of the Hitman facing WBC light-welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jnr.
The pair were at ringside in Atlantic City as Mayweather dismantled ex-champion Arturo Gatti to win in six rounds.
With Vivian Harris losing his WBA crown to unheralded Colombian Carlos Mausa and talks with Diego Corrales falling through, IBF champion Hatton insisted Mayweather is the man he wants to face next although Mausa may emerge as a possible alternative.
He said: "Of course I'd like to fight him. I've said all along that I'm scared of fighting nobody and it hasn't changed, I'll fight anybody.
"That was a masterful performance by Mayweather - being a boxing fan you have to say that although he may do a lot of talking and bad-mouthing, he is one of the best fighters in the world.
"I have got to go back, sit down with Frank and see what we can sort out but I don't see the Mayweather fight being a problem. The American TV people are talking to me."
After the fight, Mayweather - who criticised Hatton's style of fighting prior to fighting Gatti - said he wanted to face the Hitman, preferably at Madison Square Garden, a venue at which Hatton has dreamed of topping the bill even though it would mean leaving the MEN Arena and 20,000 fanatical followers.
Although some people are advising Hatton to avoid the self-styled 'Pretty Boy', his trainer Billy Graham believes he could upset the odds for the second time after beating Kostya Tszyu.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Graham said: "We have talked about Floyd Mayweather for the last couple of years and nothing has changed after tonight.
"Ricky Hatton isn't Arturo Gatti. I know what to do to beat Mayweather.
"Ricky has got the tools. He needs educated pressure. Mayweather has got wicked balance but Hatton has fantastic balance as well.
"But it would be a different fight from the Kostya Tszyu fight."
However, Warren is urging Hatton to bide his time - much as he did with Tszyu - before meeting Mayweather.
He said: "It is a great fight for the future. Let the pair of them clean up the division between them and win the other titles and then meet later on when the fight will be worth so much more.
"I can make the fight tomorrow, but in 12 or 18 months' time, the money on offer for both fighters will have increased."
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3/07/2005 at 09:16
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Mayweather does come across as an arrogant man, but that does not detract from his superb boxing skills. I believe that he will totally outclass Hatton. I am sure that Hatton will give an excellant account of himself.
Boxing does provide us with major upsets now and then. Perhaps Hatton is the man to beat the self styled 'pretty boy'.
Oscar De La Hoya has a good chance of defeating Mayweather when they clash on the night of May 5th. De La Hoya is naturally the bigger of the two fighters, but again I side with Mayweather emerging victorious. He will simply dazzle dazzle De La Hoya.
21/04/2007 at 15:22