by James Slater – Ricky Hatton, last seen being knocked out inside two-rounds by the amazing Manny Pacquiao, has spoken a few times recently about how he has been getting “the urge” to want to fight again. Despite looking a good 30 or more pounds above his best fighting weight of 140-pounds, the former world light-welterweight king has admitted he misses the ring action and that he may well have a fight next year some time – after he’s had Christmas and the New Year to give things a serious think..
Well, according to Golden Boy promoter Richard Schaefer, who has been talking to Ring on line, Hatton and Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez are currently in talks about a fight to take place between the two in Hatton’s hometown of Manchester, UK. No date has been mentioned, and neither has a definite weight at which the two popular fighters would meet at been made clear (although light-welterweight would seem to be the obvious choice – if Hatton can get down okay).
Indeed, so far hardly any details have been made public at all, save for the fact that the two men are talking about a possible match-up taking place.
“That’s (the date) one of the things we have to discuss,” Schaefer told Ring. “I’m going to be talking to the Hattons. And Marquez wants to do it. We’ll see if we can get it done.”
As badly beaten as “The Hitman” was in the Pacquiao fight, his popularity remains massive in the UK, and a fight with as great a fighter as Marquez, even though he too is coming off a loss, to Floyd Mayweather on points, would be a big attraction – especially in Manchester. And the fight does have some intrigue to it. Marquez has never fought at light-welterweight before, he is not as devastating a puncher as Pacquiao is (who is?) and his fighting style would likely mesh well with Hatton’s.
If he can get the excess weight off as well as he has done in the past, Hatton, 45-2(32) would have to be given a reasonable chance against the smaller and older man (Hatton is slightly taller than Marquez, although Marquez has the longer reach). Of course, nobody, Hatton included, knows how much the 31-year-old has left. Neither do we know how much damage the brutal KO he suffered at the hands of Pacquiao inflicted on Ricky.
Marquez, 50-5-1(37) is unquestionably the greater fighter of the two, but at 36 going on 37, he cannot be expected to perform at the highest level forever. Who knows, the timing of the fight might just go in Hatton’s favour. Would Marquez be able to cope with Hatton’s vicious body punching? How would Hatton cope with the classy boxing skills of the man known as “Dinamita?”
Rest assured, a sell out Manchester crowd will be itching to find out if the two exciting warriors do agree to face each other some time next year.