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Khan has the skills to beat Mayweather - Hatton

Ricky Hatton suffered defeat to Floyd Mayweather in 2008 © Getty Images

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Ricky Hatton believes Amir Khan has the skills to achieve what he never managed - and beat Floyd Mayweather Jnr in the ring.

Khan is angling for a blockbuster meeting with the undefeated American when he makes the step up from light-welterweight to welterweight following his latest title defence against Lamont Peterson in December. Hatton has trodden that path before - suffering a tenth-round defeat against Mayweather in 2008 - but believes Khan has the extra attributes required to defeat the fabled 34-year-old.

"Amir is looking sensational and has never looked back from that first-round knockout defeat," Hatton told BBC Five Live. "He's won two world titles now at the light-welterweight division. Timothy Bradley would argue about who is in the No. 1 spot [in the division], but there's no doubt in my mind that it's Amir Khan.

"He's proved that and it's only a matter of time before Amir will do what all fighters want to do. Once you've proved yourself in a division, you want to move up a division and win a world title in another division.

"I was fortunate enough to do that, and I think Amir is well on course to do that. A few years ago, you'd have said, 'No, Floyd Mayweather is a step too far', but the way he (Khan) is performing now, it certainly isn't."

Hatton believes Khan's more measured and technical approach to boxing would yield success against Mayweather, whose own elusive style made it easy for him to pick off Hatton's more straightforward style during their own encounter.

"It would suit Amir's style," he said. "Moving up a weight division was difficult for me because I was short. It's easier when you have height and that's what Amir will do. He's maturing and looking bigger with each fight.

"My style was always 100mph and in your face, whereas that was probably tailor-made for Floyd a little bit. But Amir has a good reach, good hand speed and is always on the move.

"Mayweather likes people coming towards him, and it might be a bit difficult fighting someone like Amir who backs off from Floyd."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.