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Hatton camp confirms offer to fight Morales

Oscar de la Hoya has backed Ricky Hatton to rise from the canvas to breathe new life into his boxing career © Getty Images

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Ricky Hatton has been offered a reported sum of $4 million (£2,465,000) in order to come out of retirement and face legendary Mexican brawler Erik Morales.

Hatton, who has not been inside the ring in a competitive capacity since being knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, currently does not have a boxing licence. The Briton was stripped by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) after a News of the World expose revealed drink and depression issues, but it is believed he would have no problems being reinstated.

"Ricky simply needs to reapply for his boxing licence in the normal way - to his local area council who will pass it on to the full board - and satisfy all the usual medical requirements," Robert Smith, general secretary of the BBBC, told The Times. "As long as he does I can't see there being a problem, since he has served his time."

The offer to fight Morales, a 34-year-old fans' favourite who recently took Marcos Maidana to 12 rounds, has been put on the table by Golden Boy Promotions president, Oscar de la Hoya, who met Hatton's camp at Saturday's fight between Amir Khan and Paul McCloskey.

"We have received the firm offer at the meeting with Oscar, now it's up to Ricky," said Gareth Williams, an executive of Hatton Promotions, in the Telegraph.

Morales' career is defined by great fights, most notably his trilogy with Marco Antonio Barrera, and he is the last man to hold a victory over Pacquiao. In defeat to Maidana, the Mexican battled on for 12 rounds despite having one eye closed over for almost the entire fight, and De la Hoya believes a bout with Hatton would be a classic.

"Ricky against Morales would be a wonderful fight in Las Vegas," De La Hoya said. "Two real legends of the sport meeting. Fight fans all round the world would want to see that.

"Morales showed the way it can be done. He was retired, he was away for three years, but he came back with a plan and had three fights before he took on Maidana. Morales put in a beautiful performance.

"Nobody believed he could do what he did and if Morales can do it so can Ricky. Morales showed that if you have the talent you can still do it. If Ricky still has that dream, we can help him with it."

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