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Hatton trainer wants Manny showdown
Other Sports, 10:23, November 23, 2008 ,
Trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr says he would like Ricky Hatton to fight Manny Pacquiao next following his win against Paulie Malignaggi.
The Mancunian boxer stopped New Yorker Malignaggi in the 11th round of their light-welterweight Las Vegas showdown on Saturday evening with an assured performance under the guidance of Mayweather Snr.
Following the bout the question on the lips of most people was, who will Hatton be fighting next? And Mayweather Snr suggested Filipino superstar Pacquiao would be a better option than Oscar de la Hoya, who go head-to-head on December 6.
"It's Ricky's call, but do I want to see him fight Oscar? Not really," he said.
"I would rather see him fight Pacquiao, that's the perfect match for Ricky. But I don't see Pacquiao beating Oscar."
Hatton has stated that he would be ready to fight either man, although De la Hoya would want him to fight at welterweight, which the 'Hitman' has struggled in against Luiz Collazo, whom he defeated narrowly to lift the WBA welterweight crown in 2006, and Floyd Mayweather Jr, who he suffered his only defeat against in 46 fights.
Hatton insisted he would not fight at the 147lb mark again, but hinted he would make a U-turn in order to guarantee a big-name opponent.
"There are a lot of good fighters in the light-welterweight division now," he said.
"But as good as (WBO title-holder) Kendall Holt and (WBC title-holder) Timothy Bradley are, they're not the household names that Manny Pacquiao and Oscar de la Hoya are.
"If I'm going to have a couple of years left, what sort of a champion would I be if I turned my back on fighting Oscar or Manny?
"And I'd like to think that with that performance (against Malignaggi) I've put myself firmly in the frame."