By Mark Vester
Ricky Hatton is dead set on facing the winner of Oscar De La Hoya vs. Manny Pacquiao, taking place on December 6 in Las Vegas. Hatton fights a few weeks earlier, in Las Vegas, against IBF junior welterweight champ Paulie Malignaggi. Last week, De La Hoya said that he was willing to share the services of trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. with Hatton. In order to do so, Hatton would have to train up in Big Bear, California where De La Hoya is setting up camp.
Mayweather Sr. trained De La Hoya for almost eight-years, but signed a contract to train Hatton for Malignaggi, leaving Oscar without a trainer for the Pacquiao fight. Hatton, sensing a De La Hoya fight could happen in 2009, has turned down the offer to train side by side with Oscar in Big Bear.
"I am not looking past Malignaggi, but I have to have one eye on my next fight after that," said Hatton to The Manchester Evening News. "I know I turned round after Mayweather and said I wouldn't fight above light-welterweight again, but the winner of the Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya fight will be the best pound for pound in the world. I would be a liar if I said I didn't want another go at being tbe best. Floyd says he will train me come what may, which is reassuring, but I can't comment on Oscar's plans."
He says if Pacquiao wins, the fight will be at 140-pounds, but if De La Hoya wins, he would be willing to move up to 147-pounds. De La Hoya vs. Hatton is a strange fight, considering that Oscar is Hatton's promoter and Hatton is using Oscar's trainer, and Oscar advised Hatton earlier in the year, as his promoter, to not take fights at 147.
"If Pacquiao wins we could make the fight at light-welterweight, but if Oscar wins, I would have no fears about moving up to welterweight," said Hatton.
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