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RICKY HATTON reckons he could tempt boxing superstar Oscar de La Hoya to England to fight in front of a 70,000 crowd.
The Manchester man takes on Jose Luis Castillo for the IBO welterweight title in Las Vegas next month but is already eyeing a showdown with de La Hoya, who lost his WBC light-middleweight crown to Floyd Mayweather at the weekend.
Hatton said: "Joe Calzaghe got a wonderful crowd at in Cardiff against Peter Manfredo, around 35,000. Ricky Hatton against Oscar de La Hoya, I'd be lying if I said we didn't think we could double it.
"With a fight in England at the new Wembley or the City of Manchester Stadium, you could get that easily.
"Oscar said he'd like to come to England to fight. He also said one of his goals he wants to achieve is to box in front of the biggest live audience.
"Now Oscar's lost it depends on whether he wants to carry on, only he knows that and if he does he knows where to find us.
Without a doubt it would be a dream. He's not even a modern-day legend, he's a legend with everything he's done.
"He said he'd be willing to move near the welterweight division in order to do it, so ..."
But first up is Castillo on June 23 and Hatton will be out to impress after admitting he has been under par in his last two bouts against Juan Urango and Luis Collazo.
He said: "In the last last two fights I was expected to win and maybe took my foot off the gas but I think Castillo will bring the best out of me."
The Manchester man takes on Jose Luis Castillo for the IBO welterweight title in Las Vegas next month but is already eyeing a showdown with de La Hoya, who lost his WBC light-middleweight crown to Floyd Mayweather at the weekend.
Hatton said: "Joe Calzaghe got a wonderful crowd at in Cardiff against Peter Manfredo, around 35,000. Ricky Hatton against Oscar de La Hoya, I'd be lying if I said we didn't think we could double it.
"With a fight in England at the new Wembley or the City of Manchester Stadium, you could get that easily.
"Oscar said he'd like to come to England to fight. He also said one of his goals he wants to achieve is to box in front of the biggest live audience.
"Now Oscar's lost it depends on whether he wants to carry on, only he knows that and if he does he knows where to find us.
Without a doubt it would be a dream. He's not even a modern-day legend, he's a legend with everything he's done.
"He said he'd be willing to move near the welterweight division in order to do it, so ..."
But first up is Castillo on June 23 and Hatton will be out to impress after admitting he has been under par in his last two bouts against Juan Urango and Luis Collazo.
He said: "In the last last two fights I was expected to win and maybe took my foot off the gas but I think Castillo will bring the best out of me."
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