Hatton reveals plan to be the new Golden Boy

RICKY HATTON believes he can be the ‘Golden Boy’ of Europe by building a boxing empire to rival his role model, Oscar De La Hoya.

Hatton, 30, is already making plans for a career in boxing long after he has hung up his gloves and while he is targeting three more big fights, including a showdown with De La Hoya, the Englishman is also busy trying to emulate the American fighter’s business successes with his Golden Boy Promotions company.

Golden Boy promoted Saturday night’s 11th-round stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which extended the light-welterweight world champion’s record to 45-1 (32 KOs) and put the ‘Hitman’ firmly back in the shop window among the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighters.

And while Hatton feels his ring career has been rejuvenated with the victory and his working relationship with new trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr, it also marked another significant step in developing his wider interests.

The undercard featured a victory for Adrian Gonzalez, a new ‘Team Hatton’ fighter making his professional debut, while the Las Vegas main event also saw Hatton launch his own clothing line and merchandise.

“I think Oscar’s going down the right road,” Hatton said. “His philosophy is ‘I’ve been a fighter and I don’t want boxers to put up with what I had to put up with’.

“So many fighters are breaking off on their own now. I’ve done it, Joe Calzaghe’s done it and Oscar’s probably been the first (promoter) to say ‘right, that’s what the fight’s generating — you’re happy with that, we’re happy with this’ and that’s the way boxing should be done.

“I’ve been very, very fortunate in working with a lot of promoters, Dennis Hobson, Frank Warren and people like that and I take a lot of knowledge into the promoting side from what I’ve learned from them. When I go into promoting I want to make a few quid. But I’ve made my living and I would be happy giving the fighters what they deserve.”

Hatton, though, insisted he will continue to focus on his own fighting career for the immediate future.

“I’ve got my own promoter’s licence now, I’ve got my new facilities now that I’ve bought, the gym and leisure centre that I’m going to do, I’ve got my clothing line coming out. But don’t be taking that as a sign Ricky Hatton is getting ready to pack it in.

“I’ve got these things in place but it’s not because I’m thinking of retiring.

“It’s been exciting and it’s been explosive and I want to put the finishing touches over the next couple of years.”

Those finishing touches will be three more big fights, Hatton said, with the ideal swansong being a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr, to whom he suffered his only pro defeat a year ago.

“I’ve had a lot of defining fights — Kostya Tszyu, (Jose Luis) Castillo, Mayweather but Saturdayshowed me I’ve got a few more defining fights in me.”

Hatton’s next opponent could be determined on December 6 when De La Hoya faces Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton would like to fight the winner of that welterweight contest next summer with a meeting with De La Hoya in the 147lb division at which he lost to Mayweather. A match with Pacquiao is more appealing because it could be in his favoured light-welterweight limit of 140lb.