Ricky Hatton
is considering a multi-million-dollar comeback leading to a super-fight with Mexican legend Erik Morales.
is considering a multi-million-dollar comeback leading to a super-fight with Mexican legend Erik Morales. The Hitman has resumed sparring with Commonwealth welterweight champion Denton Vassell, whom he promotes. He has been assured that his boxer's licence, revoked following his admission of cocaine abuse, is likely to be restored.
The offer to return from quasi-retirement was tabled by Oscar de la Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, while he was in Manchester for Amir Khan's world title defence against Paul McCloskey on Saturday night.Hatton stands to earn a guaranteed minimum of £1.8million for any comeback fight, £2.4m if he goes straight to Morales. Pay-per-view television would boost purses substantially.
De la Hoya confirmed last night: 'Ricky against Morales would be a wonderful fight in Las Vegas, a great event, a meeting of two real legends of the sport. Fight fans all over the world will want to see that.'
Morales - two years older than Hatton at 34, and the last man to have defeated current pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao - is in the midst of a comeback of his own.
De la Hoya said: 'Erik has shown Ricky that it can be done. He was away for three years but has returned to have three fights before putting on a beautiful performance against Marcos Maidana.'
Many American commentators believe Morales was robbed of the narrowest of decisions against Maidana, the younger Argentine puncher who came close to knocking out Khan before losing their 2010 fight of the year.
Hatton has been inactive for just under two years, since being brutally concussed by Pacquiao. He has vacillated about retirement - admitting that his new found involvement as a promoter has been his only partial escape from post-boxing depression - and has kept insisting that he will re-apply for his fighter's licence when the time is right.
That door opened yesterday. Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said: 'Ricky simply needs to submit his application in the normal way - to his local area council who will pass it on to the full board - and then satisfy all the usual medical requirements.
'I can't foresee there being a problem, since he has served his time.'
Golden Boy officials opened discussions with Hatton before Christmas and now Gareth Williams, The Hitman's legal adviser and an executive of Hatton Promotions, says: 'We have received the firm offer at the meeting with Oscar. Now it's up to Ricky.'
Hatton is discussing the proposal with his father Ray, who is also his manager, and girlfriend Jennifer. Given estimates that it will take Hatton six months to regain full fighting fitness, Golden Boy are viewing an October date against Morales.
Alternatively, he could take an easier warm-up fight in Manchester - an emotional comeback which would fill his beloved City's Eastlands football ground - followed by the big one in Vegas.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
