By T.K. Stewart

Bob Arum wants the fight in America. Ray Hatton says the fight deserves to be in England.

Either way, it appears increasingly likely that Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton could face each other in a May 2009 mega fight. While all of the details are yet to be hammered out, one of the big details is just where such a match would take place.

Bob Arum, promoter of Manny Pacquiao, is on record as saying that he prefers the location for the fight to be United States, preferably Las Vegas. Arum claims he doesn't want the fight in Hatton's home country because it will have to begin in the wee hours of the morning in England in order to accommodate the American television pay-per-view audience.

On the other hand, Ray Hatton, father and manager of Ricky Hatton, says that's it high time that his son stopped having to travel stateside in order to get the big fights.

Furthermore, Hatton says that if Floyd Mayweather, Jr. remains retired and a Pacquiao fight cannot be agreed upon - that he has another big name in consideration.

"Unfortunately, this is sort of the problem that we've got," said Ray Hatton to BoxingScene.com by telephone from England earlier this week. "I think if it were left to Ricky and Manny that the fight would be over here. But the money men and the ones who run the casinos in America, they've got the upper hand, really. It's unfortunate you know, because we feel that Ricky has done his traveling and has done his part."

Ricky Hatton is undoubtedly the biggest draw in the sport of boxing. Over 50,000 fans packed the City of Manchester Stadium this past May to see him battle Juan Lazcano. In December 2007, approximately 30,000 traveled from England to Las Vegas to cheer him on against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

That being the case, Ray Hatton's voice sounds most excited when he speaks of what would be a blockbuster fight against Pacquiao.

"It's a fight that is a great gel of styles and they are close in size," said Hatton of a bout against Pacquiao. "If you looked at Manny and Ricky when they stood together, they're both about the same height with about the same build and both are 140-pounders, really. Manny has quick hands and Richard has proved, with his last fight, that his speed and footwork have come back. The old Ricky Hatton footwork and speed is back."

Despite widespread speculation, Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s representatives claim that he will not return to face Hatton in a rematch - or Pacquiao. However, Ray Hatton says that if the Pacquiao fight cannot be made and that if Mayweather holds to his retirement - that Team Hatton has a plan C in the works.

"We have a third person in place for a massive fight," said a coy Ray, who declined to identify the fighter. "This is boxing, you know, and anything can happen, really, so we have to be ready."

Could that "third person" be Oscar De La Hoya?

"I did talk to Oscar's people," said Hatton, who seems to be of the opinion that the problems the 'Golden Boy' had against Pacquiao were weight related. "I hear that Oscar could still be open to the thought of fighting here in England."

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