Money Mayweather praises Hitman, tells Khan to prove himself
Floyd Mayweather paid tribute to Ricky Hatton following his official retirement from boxing, but said fellow British hope Amir Khan must prove himself before he gets into the ring with him.
Mayweather is preparing to return to the ring again to face Victor Ortiz, but spoke of his admiration for Hatton as he performs his pre-fight media work.
The Hitman lost his unbeaten record with a knockout blow from Mayweather, but despite the bitter nature of the build-up to that fight, the American wished the Mancunian well in his life after fighting.
"I take my hat off to Ricky Hatton; he was a true warrior and a true champion," Mayweather told Blokely.
"I think that we had one hell of a fight when we did face each other and whatever he's doing now, I wish him and his family all the best.
"I know after he faced me he was never the same again but the only thing he can do is keep his fingers crossed that hopefully he can go down in the Hall of Fame one day."
Khan clash
Amir Khan has risen up the ranks and he has been talking up a showdown with Mayweather, but the brash-talking American says the Bolton man must go through his own protege Jessie Vargas first to prove himself.
"We want Amir Khan to fight the future of boxing, which is my fighter Jessie Vargas," Mayweather added. "If Khan gets past Jessie Vargas, then Khan has a fight with Floyd Mayweather."
"You've got to earn a fight with Mayweather. He just fought a Zab Judah that I fought six years ago, I fought a young, strong, hungry Zab Judah and he thought a Zab Judah that's a lot older.
"So once he fights Vargas then Amir Khan has a fight with Floyd Mayweather."
Mayweather also held media sessions to build-up the Ortiz fight and said that his 16-month spell out of the ring will now result in any rust.
Rust
"I haven't shown any rust thus far throughout this training camp," he said. "I'm disciplined and I maintain my weight outside of the ring so time away isn't a problem.
"I don't over indulge or pig out and I play a lot of basketball during my off time. Plus it takes six months to build a fight of this magnitude with regards to making a pay-per-view blockbuster so I can only fight two times a year anyway."
The boxing world wants to see Mayweather fight Manny Pacquiao, and trainer Freddy Roach believes facing Ortiz is Mayweather's way of warming up, as he and the Pac Man are southpaws.
"On one note Freddie Roach and Team Pacquiao don't want me to say anything about them at all. So much so they're taking me to the courtroom but I prefer the court inside the squared circle," Mayweather responded.
"So I'm wondering if he has a press conference for his fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, why is Floyd Mayweather's name coming up? I'll tell you because as long as he's attached to my name and fighting my leftovers, he's going to make great paydays."
Read a full interview in Blokely, www.blokely.com