Hatton will only fight Khan if he can promote bout

Associated Press

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 | noon

LONDON — Ricky Hatton will only fight Amir Khan if he can promote the “Battle of Britain” bout.

Hatton’s future in boxing has been in doubt since his second-round knockout against Manny Pacquiao in May sent him to a hospital for a precautionary brain scan.

Hatton has focused on a promotion business as he readies for a post-fighting career.

The 30-year-old Briton hasn’t decided if he will retire or face Khan, the newly crowned WBA light-welterweight champion.

“If I do decide to make a comeback and he is still world champion and he’s still at that level, then obviously being a light-welterweight, it is a possibility,” Hatton said Tuesday. “But with the greatest of respect, it would only be if I promoted it.”

Hatton’s fight with Pacquiao was through Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

“But, yeah, if I choose to fight again and he’s still up there—which I certainly hope he is, as a personal friend—then it’s a possibility,” Hatton said.

The 22-year-old Khan won his first world title in July in a unanimous decision against Andreas Kotelnik. Khan’s promoter Frank Warren called on Hatton to retire, arguing that he wasn’t fit to fight again.

Hatton, whose defeat to Pacquiao was only his second loss in 47 fights, thinks he still has something to offer as a fighter.

“I’m not making any decision (yet),” Hatton said. “One day I might just wake up in the morning and think, ‘Let’s give it another go.’

“At the moment I’m busy with the promoting, enjoying what I’m doing working with all these former champions and prospects I’ve got coming up. But us boxers — it doesn’t take us long to get itchy feet again.”