It appeared to be the stuff of fight fans fiction but today’s revelation that WBA world champion Amir Khan has left promoter Frank Warren to join forces with Oscar De La Hoya at Golden Boy Promotions means a British super-fight with Ricky Hatton is again a possibility.
Hatton had earlier said such a fight would be impossible due to differences between himself and former promoter Warren, but with both fighters now linked to Golden Boy and pay per view giants HBO, it looks like this blockbuster could yet take place.
As usual bookmakers are never far off the pace and odds compilers are now offering fans the chance to not only out think ringside judges, but in this case, top tier promoters.
Whilst Ricky Hatton has been left to mull over his retirement in peace of late, Amir Khan has grabbed the headlines, clinching a world title at the first time of asking.
With Hatton seemingly on his way down, whilst the Bolton man careers towards him in the opposite direction, many bookmakers have predicted a meeting before the end of the year, offering like minded punters the chance to jump the queue and secure some early value.
Little more than a year ago a Hatton/Khan match up would have been quite rightly scoffed at by the majority, if not all, true boxing fans following Amir`s devastating first round knockout at the hands of Breidis Prescott. With two weight world champion Hatton now suffering a pair of knockout defeats in his last four outings however, whilst Khan has overcame the likes of Marco Antonnio Barrera and Andriy Kotelnik, the eventual winner of such a match-up, has split opinion right down the middle.
On paper Hatton`s ring experience and battle hardened grit would see him duck between the ropes a deserved firm favourite, yet it`s the same gruelling career that has moved many to consider that the Manchester body puncher is, quite literally, drinking in the last chance saloon.
Few can contest however that the Hitman has spent the best part of his career operating at a level that Amir Khan may still never reach and the generous 5/4 offered by Bet365 may prove inviting for Ricky`s world famous army of loyal followers.
After ripping the WBA title away from Kotelnik on points, barely losing a round in the process, Khan is not without his supporters though. Leading bookmakers Boylesports obviously agree and are putting their necks on the line in offering 8/11 on the 23 year old.
If the fight doesn’t take place before the end of 2010 firms will refund all stakes, allowing backers to get involved with peace of mind, but if the powers of boxing can thrash out terms at least one thing will be for sure – punters will struggle to find better value further down the line.
