Matthew Hatton heading for WBA interim title shot against El Massoudi, hoping to lure Khan afterwards

By Boxing News - 09/08/2011 - Comments

Image: Matthew Hatton heading for WBA interim title shot against El Massoudi, hoping to lure Khan afterwardsBy William Mackay: Former EBU welterweight champion Matthew Hatton (42-5-2, 16 KO’s) is poised to take on France’s Ismael El Massoudi (36-3, 14 KO’s) for the WBA welterweight interim title next year in March, and Hatton is hoping that he can lure Amir Khan into moving up in weight to fight him sometime next year instead of someone else without a title.

Hatton’s manager Bob Shannon said this to the Manchester Evening News: “If Matthew wins this next fight he will hold a world title. If Amir Khan wants to step up to welterweight, he will will want a title fight. It would be a great fight for Matthew. he would be the underdog, but he’s improving all the time and everybody saw how well he performed against [Saul] Alvarez…If he wins [against El Massoudi], he’s got a great opportunity against Khan.”

I think it’s sad to even contemplate Khan fighting for a paper WBA interim title like this against a weak fighter like Hatton, but I can see Khan pulling a move like this. He would get his foot in the door of one of the title holders, even if it’s just a measly interim strap and not a regular title. When Khan won the WBA light welterweight title, he picked out the weakest of the light welterweight champions at the time Andriy Kotelnik instead of the dangerous guys and captured an easy title. Khan won’t fight WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao, and he probably won’t be given the time of day by Floyd Mayweather Jr. if he defeats Victor Ortiz on September 17th.

Khan obviously wants the Mayweather fight, because that’s a cash out fight where it doesn’t matter if Khan loses. He still gets the big money, a lot more than he’s ever made and likely ever will make in single fight in his career. But what Khan doesn’t want is to take on a dangerous guy and get knocked out before he gets his payday fight against Mayweather.

That’s what this all about. But back to Hatton. I think he’ll easily beat the small 5’7″ El Massoudi and pick up his WBA interim title, but I don’t think Khan will show interest in fighting Hatton. I could be wrong, because this does seem like a Khan type of maneuver. However, I see Khan facing someone like Shane Mosley, Kell Brook or maybe even Jessie Vargas, if that fight will lead to a bout against Mayweather.

Facing Hatton is several steps backwards for Khan. If Khan thinks someone like Breidis Prescott or Marcos Maidana is a step back, then he’s got to think the same way about Hatton you would think. It’s a joke fight, but I don’t know. I already see Khan in some silly fights against Paulie Malignaggi, Paul McCloskey, and Zab Judah, so this is right along the same lines as those fights.



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