by James Slater – Though he has yet to make up his mind for sure about fighting again or not, 31-year-old Ricky Hatton has said many times how he feels he “probably will” step back into the ring at least one more time before he’s done. Most recently, Hatton told Steve Bunce in an article with The Mirror that he has “not made up his mind for certain,” but that it looks like he “will fight again next year.”
It’s also no secret how Hatton has been mentioned as a possible dance partner for reigning WBA light-welterweight champion and fellow Brit, Amir Khan.. Hatton spoke about this possibility of a fight with Bunce also, saying the fight could happen as long as he can be one of the promoters of the event. In other words, Hatton will not work with his former promoter Frank Warren, who is now, of course, with Khan.
However, Khan now has his own promotional company the same way Hatton has his, and the prospective domestic super-showdown, though still no way near even close, could take place as a result.
“A fight against Amir would be an enormous fight for everybody in the boxing business, but I would have to be one of the promoters,” Hatton said. “Amir has his own promotional company now and that is all that would be needed to make that fight happen.”
But would the majority of fight fans the world over really want to see the match-up take place? Hatton would first have to lose anywhere from 30 to possibly even 50-pounds in weight, at least judging by recent photos and TV footage of him. Even then, nobody, Hatton included, has any real idea how much he has left – his reflexes, his punch resistance and his stamina all having question marks next to them.
Would the fight, if it happened, be a money fight and nothing more? Despite Khan’s still questionable ability to take a great shot, wouldn’t the speedy 23-year-old who is right now at the top of his game have more than enough ability to embarrass and handily defeat “The Hitman?” How would Hatton’s loyal fans react if they saw their hero trounced by the much younger man? Wouldn’t it be better if Hatton – if he insists on fighting again at all – went in against someone closer to his own age?
Style-wise, Khan would be all wrong for a 31-year-old Hatton. In is prime, when he was a relentless attacking machine capable of making a great fighter like Kostya Tszyu quit on his stool, Hatton would have had a super chance of eating Khan alive. But now, after suffering the kind of brutal KO he did against Manny Pacquiao? And after having been out of action and having gained so much weight since? No way.
If Hatton does agree to face Khan, it is to be hoped he at least has the foresight to take a tune-up bout first. Then, should he realise he is either shot or close to it, he could save himself and his fans a lot of heartache. Khan himself has also said he’d like the fight, and why not – he knows it would be an easy night for him.
Hatton, a great fighter who served to light up the sport in his heyday, deserves better than to be out-boxed, humiliated and ultimately hammered by the new star of British boxing.