By Mark Vester
Ricky Hatton has a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the brain. He returns tomorrow night against Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium, and 55,000 fans are expected to pack the house to support his first bout since being stopped by Mayweather in ten-rounds last December. Should Hatton win, he would face IBF junior welterweight champ Paulie Malignaggi (who fights on the undercard) in the fall.
Hatton is banking on beating Lazcano and Malignaggi to land a Mayweather rematch in either Wembley Stadium or Croke Park in 2009. He says a rematch with Mayweather would break all records in either venue.
"I am not overlooking Lazcano, but if 55,000 see me fight him, imagine what will happen against a bigger name," said Hatton to the local Manchester paper. "I would love to set the all-time (boxing) record for an outdoor crowd. We have looked at Croke Park. That is an arena that could do it. It is something we have our eye on."
"You can't think it could get any better but it does. It never ceases to amaze me as I have never looked at myself as a superstar. But my fights have become more than a boxing match. They are events."
Several big names are expected to be ringside for Hatton's bout on Saturday, including Oscar de la Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera and Mike Tyson.
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