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Oscar incentive for Hatton

Image: Hatton: homecoming fight?

Ricky Hatton's lawyer says that talks are ongoing with regard to a fight between the Hitman and Oscar De La Hoya at Wembley.

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If the chance to defeat arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet was not incentive enough, Ricky Hatton has another reason to beat Floyd Mayweather in the early hours of Sunday morning - a homecoming contest against Oscar De La Hoya at Wembley Stadium. Hatton's lawyer Gareth Williams has said that talks are already at an advanced stage for the match-up, with May being touted as the month in which the Hitman might face the Golden Boy - and likely break box office records. It would also satisfy Hatton's craving for a super-fight in Britain, both as a reward for himself and the thousands of fans who have followed his recent exploits - and those to come - Stateside. Williams said: "The chances are very strong. We have strong links with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy (Promotions) and we have had discussions with them about fighting Oscar at Wembley. "It would be the perfect venue and we could look at selling in excess of 80,000 tickets. Oscar has achieved everything in boxing bar recording the record live gate - and he could achieve that if he fought in the UK against Ricky."

Prediction

Indeed, Williams predicted that, with both British fans and American pay-per-view audiences to satisfy, the contest could well take place regardless of the outcome of this weekend's WBC welterweight contest between Hatton and Mayweather. And of the scheduling, Williams said: "It wouldn't be a 3am fight. We'd looking to do it possibly on a Sunday evening. Americans have a tradition of watching sport on Sunday afternoons so it would be ideal that way." De La Hoya, who has been co-promoting Hatton's 'Undefeated' contest against Mayweather, has long spoken of his admiration for the Mancunian's style in the ring. Having lost narrowly to the Pretty Boy earlier in the year, De La Hoya has also been helping Hatton put together a masterplan to beat Mayweather. Such a result would certainly add gravitas to their own potential meeting, with De La Hoya admitting: "I would fight in London in a heartbeat. "I want to fight the biggest fight and it would be an honour to go to Hatton's capital city and fight him there in front of 80,000 supporters. "These are the kinds of fights that people want and it could happen. When I fought Mayweather it felt like a sparring session. He didn't want to fight. "I want to please my fans in my last two fights and we all know a fight with Ricky Hatton is going to be exciting."
Confident
Of the job in hand, Hatton was been watching tapes of De La Hoya's last performance and remains confident that he has the wherewithal to succeed where the Golden Boy only just failed. Hatton said: "It seems funny me criticising him, but if you look at De La Hoya he is a tactician and a combination puncher. Mayweather wants you to throw combinations so you miss a lot and get tired. "Oscar has told me that he believes he would have won the fight if he could have done in the last six rounds what he did in the first six. He watched me train on Monday and believes I can do that."