De La Hoya, Hatton eye possible clash

LAS VEGAS: Oscar De La Hoya plans to continue fighting and has targeted Britain's Ricky Hatton for a possible clash next year.

"There's been rumblings going on about it," said the Mexican-American multiple world champion, known as "Golden Boy", of a possible Hatton bout.

"I respect Ricky Hatton. He's a great fighter, he's a great guy. If that fight does get made, fans all over the world will be ecstatic... If we ever do it, it will be a heck of a show, that's for sure."

Hatton told Reuters: "It would be an honor to share a ring with a modern day legend like Oscar.

"It would be great to fight him in England in a soccer stadium or America. It would be some fight. It's those sort of fights that secure your legacy."

It is not the only option available to Hatton, whose stock rose in the United States following his fourth-round knock-out of Mexican Jose Luis Castillo last month.

US television executives would like to match him later this year against any one of WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico, former champion Shane Mosley, or WBC champion Floyd Mayweather Jr, who beat De La Hoya on a split decision in May.

Agencies

(China Daily 07/24/2007 page19)