By Mark Vester

Ricky Hatton has been approached for bouts with Manny Pacquiao and with Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya was set to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch on September 20. The fight was scrapped after Mayweather announced his retirement last Friday. Hatton was approached to fill the void, but his father, Ray Hatton, tells BBC Sport that a De la Hoya fight was turned down because Hatton would need more time to prepare for such a fight.

"An approach has been made but it would be too soon, Ricky only fought two weeks ago," Hatton Sr. said. "Oscar likes to fight in September because of Mexican Independence Day, but Ricky's chilling out at the moment and doing dad things."

He told the paper that his son is fully focused on the November bout with Paulie Malignaggi for the IBF junior welterweight title. Ricky is promoted by De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

Hatton was also approached by the team of Manny Pacquiao, who challenges David Diaz for the WBC lightweight title in three-weeks. Ray feels the Pacquiao is a much better fight for his son and a fight they are very interested in.

"We were approached by Manny Pacquiao after the Mayweather fight and it's on the cards," said Hatton Sr. "Pacquiao's big at his weight and it would be a wonderful fight. They've just about got the two biggest followings in the world - where would you stage a fight like that? It's nice that these people are approaching him because it means Ricky can just sit back and not have to chase people. It's a wonderful position to be in."

Even though Mayweather retired, they would be willing to do a rematch if he ever came back.

"We always said to Floyd, you know where we are if you want the fight, but no massive plans have gone out of the window because of his retirement," said Hatton Sr. "Obviously, Ricky would have liked to have gone over that ground again because he thinks he never gave it his best shot in the first fight. If Mayweather beat him again, he could live with that. And you can never say never with Floyd, maybe if the money was there in 12 months he would change his mind. "

"But the Mayweather fight was only one fight that people were talking to us about and as far as Ricky is concerned, he's geared up to fight Paul Malignaggi in November. A few things still have to be tied up in terms of a venue and TV. Ricky would like to fight at Madison Square Garden [in New York], but we have to look at the financial implications."

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