Ricky Hatton told Sky Sports that he will be torn between supporting fellow Brit Amir Khan and good friend Marco Antonio Barrera on March 14.
The bout, which tops the ‘Coming Of Age’ bill at the MEN Arena, will see one of the brightest stars in boxing going up against a legend of the ring.
While The Hitman would normally support his compatriot in Khan, he also has a strong connection with Barrera, who accompanied him on his walk to the ring ahead of his fight with Jose Luis Castillo in 2007.
Torn between the two camps, Hatton refused to be drawn when asked about the outcome but did state that the key would be what Barrera has left to give. Great fight
“It’s a great fight for Amir Khan – one he’s capable of winning,” he told Friday Fight Night. “He’s got to be really on the boil for it.
“I think the big key is how much has Marco got left – if he has got plenty then Amir is in for a tough night. It’s a real pick ’em match and I’m going to sit on the fence.
“I’m going to be happy and sad again, the last time I was in a position like this was when Jamie Moore boxed Matthew Macklin. It was a horrible fight to see.
“I was very fortunate to have walked out with Marco and he also came out with me when I boxed Jose Luis Castillo.
“Bearing in mind Barrera is a Mexican and that Castillo is a Mexican, for him to do that for me was pretty sensational, but he’s a sensational guy.”
Having suffered a first-round knockout against Colombian Breidis Prescott last year, Khan can ill-afford another defeat on his record.
However, since that sensational loss the Olympic silver medallist has teamed up with trainer Freddie Roach – a move that Hatton feels will help his development.
“He’s always in good nick and he’s with a great trainer now in Freddie Roach,” added the 30-year-old.
“He’ll be picking up different things in the gym. I’m sure Freddie will be working on his defence because, if anything, it’s been his (Khan’s) Achilles heel. He’s with the right coach to put that right.”
Preparations
Hatton himself is busy getting in shape for his massive showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2.
The two fighters were face-to-face in a series of press days this week, including taking part in a leg of darts in Manchester.
“I think you can see my weight is down early,” the IBO light-welterweight champion, who will put his title on the line, added.
“I’ve been working with Floyd Mayweather Snr for the past two weeks and we’ve still got eight weeks to go – things are well ahead of schedule.”
