Manchester’s former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton has confirmed he will return to the ring in 2010.“I’ve decided to make a comeback and have another fight this year - probably round about the summertime.” he said.
“No opponent has been confirmed… there’s been no date confirmed. But… I am going to have one more fight.”
In his last fight last May, the 31-year-old Hatton was knocked out in the second round in Las Vegas by Filipino great Manny Pacquiao.
Mexican three-weight world champion Juan Manuel Marquez, the current WBA lightweight champion, has been mentioned as a possible foe, while the fight will almost certainly take place in the United Kingdom.
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Hatton’s only other defeat in a 47-fight career was to Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007, but the severity of his defeat by Pacquiao led many to urge him to retire.
But Hatton never officially hung up his gloves, and it was announced last November that negotiations had already begun between his camp and Golden Boy Promotions, who handle the 36-year-old Marquez.
“If Ricky does carry on it would be an ideal fight for him to take on Marquez,” said Gareth Williams, Hatton’s lawyer and promotional partner.
Richard Schaefer, head of Golden Boy, said: “Juan Manuel accepted the challenge and would love to come to Manchester.”
Marquez lost his last outing to the returning Mayweather Jr in September, finding himself outclassed and outpointed over 12 rounds.
However, that was only his fifth defeat in 56 fights, while he has also fought Pacquiao twice, drawing the first encounter in 2004 before losing on a controversial split decision in 2008.
Marquez has held world titles at featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight, and a fight against Hatton would almost certainly take place at light-welterweight, Hatton’s natural division.*