Khan ready to hunt Hitman

PROMOTER Frank Warren has strongly urged Ricky Hatton to retire rather than risk his long-term health by fighting Amir Khan – but admits he would happily pit his young champion against the jaded legend.

On Saturday night, Khan became a world champion at just 22 years of age, taking Andreas Kotelnik’s WBA light-welterweight title with a masterful 12-round unanimous decision win in Manchester.

The build-up to the fight had been dominated by talk of Khan facing his friend Hatton in the near future and after dethroning Kotelnik.

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist insisted “business is business” and he would happily take on the ‘Hitman’.

Warren, however, was less effusive after Hatton’s shocking second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May.

“From a personal point of view, Ricky Hatton shouldn’t be fighting,” said the promoter. “It’s not good for boxing and more importantly it’s not good for him.

“Financially it is a great fight and I think Ricky would get stopped again by Amir. I don’t think Ricky could cope with that pace.

“I don’t think he should fight again but if he wants to do it then I’m sure it could happen. But from his health point of view, he should definitely retire.”

Warren added: “You know what happens? The fight happens and then down the road, God forbid anything happens to Ricky Hatton, everybody blames boxing, instead of greed.

“But if he wants to put himself in there, then that is his decision.

“He’s not a baby, he’s 30-odd years of age. Sometimes fighters go on too long and it’s not good for them. And at the end of the day, bad things happen.”

Khan declined to echo Warren’s calls for Hatton to retire and insisted he would fight his fellow Lancastrian if that was what his management team decided.

“We’re good friends and stuff but business is business,” said Khan.

“I’m just going to leave it to my team. I’m a fan of Ricky Hatton and I like him to be in my corner, supporting me all the way and for me to achieve what he has achieved.

“But boxing is a game where you have to face fighters.

“In Britain I think it would be a huge fight that the public would want to see.

“We’ll see what happens. If Freddie Roach thinks it’s the right move for me to make, then I’m going to make that move.”

Khan’s trainer Roach agreed with Warren that Khan would prove far too sharp for 30-year-old Hatton and would take the fight “in a heartbeat”.

Roach, who also trains Manny Pacquiao, said: “After the Pacquiao fight I said Hatton should retire. He’s a multi world champion and has nothing left to prove. To get knocked out like he did against Pacquiao was devastating.

“If he decides to fight again and continue his career, he is made for my guy (Khan) and I would take that fight in a heartbeat.”

Khan produced the performance of his career so far to systematically destroy respected champion Kotelnik at the MEN Arena on Saturday night.

The Englishman’s speed and skilful shot selection clearly gave him the upper hand against the solid but unimaginative Ukrainian champion. Khan also went some way to answering questions about his chin, shaking off several strong Kotelnik blows suffered as a result of his occasionally sloppy defence.

In the end, Khan breezed to victory with judges’ scores of 120-108 and 118-111 twice.