FLOYD Mayweather Junior could return to haunt Ricky Hatton, with the Pretty Boy appearing to be the biggest obstacle between a Hatton-Manny Pacquiao clash next year.
Mayweather, who retired after inflicting the first professional defeat of Hatton’s career last December, continues to be at the centre of speculation that he will return to the ring.
And having stepped out of the sport as the best pound for pound fighter in the world, a match-up with his successor, Pacquiao, is already being mooted.
Pacquiao upset the odds by stepping up two weight divisions to convincingly beat Oscar de la Hoya in Las Vegas on Saturday and confirm his status as the world’s number one fighter.
It has also put him well within Hatton’s sights, following victory against Paulie Malignaggi last month.
But the IBO light-welterweight champion’s biggest fear right now will be that Mayweather hijacks the contest, with reports he has grown tired of a retirement that was only announced in June.
Tempted
While Hatton has long hoped the 31-year-old could be tempted back into the ring, and indeed into a re-match, he may start to be careful what he wishes for, with promoters likely to be desperate to match Mayweather with the Pac-man, rather than the Hitman. Whether it is Hatton or Mayweather, Pacquiao is now seen as the man to beat. The Filipino was seen as a makeweight in his clash with de la Hoya, but made the boxing world stand up and take notice with a systematic brutalisation of a legend.
De la Hoya had also come up short against Mayweather in 2007, but lost narrowly on points. Against Pacquiao he was roundly dismantled.
Sitting at ringside, he said he was close to tears after seeing the way his friend and promoter was brought to his knees. But with that defeat, Hatton was presented with an opportunity to ensure his career will not be forever defined by defeat to Mayweather.
In the space of a year, another titan has emerged against which Hatton can pit himself – and while there was a general belief that everything after Mayweather would be an anti-climax, Pacquiao’s performance against de la Hoya demands that will not be the case.
Pacquiao has swept all aside from his beginnings as a 106lbs fighter to his debut at welterweight against de la Hoya, winning world titles in four different weight divisions.
There would be doubts about a Hatton-Pacquiao bout taking place at Wembley, which the Hitman so longs for.
Such are the demands of the American TV audience, the fight would need to take place in the early hours of the morning.
De la Hoya himself will recognise the marketing opportunities of now matching Pacquiao with Hatton – it may just be a question of whether they will be outweighed by the tantalising prospect of a clash with Mayweather.
What do you think? Have your say.
