Hatton sets his sights on Castillo or Corrales

HIS bruises are yet to heal from Saturday’s epic encounter with Luis Collazo in Boston, but Ricky Hatton is already setting his sights on another almighty world title tear-up.

Having squeezed past Collazo to claim the WBA welterweight title, Hatton wants a showdown with the winner of next month’s eagerly awaited lightweight rubber match between Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo.

And the Manchester ‘Hit Man’ will be ringside to stake his claim having surely been convinced by his clash with Collazo that his future remains back as a lighter weight champion.

Hatton said: “If I could fight the winner of Castillo and Corrales that would be good and I am going to be ringside for that fight in Las Vegas. “You become a great fighter by fighting world champions and those guys are both floating around at the top of the pound-for-pound ratings, so they are the guys I want.”

The first two bouts between Corrales and Castillo will go down in history as the kind of classic blood-and-thunder fights for which Hatton is beginning to make his name.

The winner of July’s WBC welterweight title clash between Arturo Gatti and Carlos Baldomir also remains an option should Hatton elect to gamble at the 147lb limit once again. And his ultimate target of Floyd Mayweather ought not to be affected by the outcome of his weighty issue, with ‘Pretty Boy’ having begun his own world title reign down at super-featherweight.

Hatton insisted: “I still feel strong enough to cut it at welterweight. I know I am giving my opponent half a chance, but I am not saying I am coming back down to light-welter.

“If the better fights are at welter, I will stay there and if they are at light-welter then I will move down. There are problems facing you in every fight and you show champion’s spirit to come through.”

Political problems which forced Hatton to give up each of his light-welter-weight titles in order to secure his crack at Collazo also threaten to rear their heads again. Should Hatton attempt to build on his WBA title win, it is almost inconceivable he will not be ordered to defend against German Oktay Urkal, who was paid step-aside money for this fight to go ahead.

Hatton’s American television paymasters Home Box Office are likely to be less-than thrilled with that prospect, so the chances are Hatton will ultimately relinquish a third title belt outside the ring.

On the other hand, Hatton’s three-fight deal with HBO includes a stipulation allowing him to stage one contest in England where Urkal can be accommodated.