Ricky Hatton says Khan fight can be done - as long as he and Amir promote it

Ricky Hatton has given his strongest hint yet that he'll be back in the ring next year - and says a mega-showdown with friend Amir Khan could be done, as long as Hatton Promotions and Khan Promotions sort the job out themselves.

"I've not made my mind up for certain but it looks like I will fight again next year," Hatton told Steve Bunce in the Mirror.

"I've heard a lot and read a lot of speculation about my future and I have to admit there are some great fights out there," added Hatton.

"People told me that I would get the itch when I was at ringside at my own shows and they were right!"

The nature of British boxing means that fans are always looking for domestic dust ups and there is none bigger out there than an all-time British great supposedly on the slide against a young champion aspiring to achieve greatness.

"A fight against Amir would be an enormous fight for everybody in the boxing business, but I would have to be one of the promoters," said Hatton.

"I know that Amir would take the fight and it is something that I have talked about - it's a long way off, but it could happen."

Although Amir Khan has his own promotional company, he has yet to promote any show and his most recent fight against Dimitriy Salita was promoted in association with Frank Warren.  Warren promoted Hatton for many years until they parted company and acrimony appears to remain an issue.  But Hatton has hinted that if Khan chose to go it alone in promotional terms, a hugely lucrative showdown between the pair could be made.

"Amir has his own promotional company now and that is all that would be needed to make that fight happen."