By Adam Laiolo: It was December 8th 2007, after years of watching one of my countries most respected and genuine sportsmen in years come to the top against the sports best, I was now witnessing him stumbling face first into a turnbuckle with an beautifully executed ‘check hook’. He rose only monumentality, for the result was beyond doubt. Grievances about Joe Cortez actions (still give me sleepless nights) are useless. He was out fought, out worked and ultimately out boxed. The feeling of anticlimax was inescapable. Then less than six months later, a home coming of epic proportion, the likes rarely seen generated by one fighter and a smart choice of fight, even with one or two problems along the way.

Now Ricky is at the last crossroads of his career, having been beaten and Mayweather seemingly sticking to his (premature) retirement plans Hatton has few options to take at his natural 140 lbs. There are of course credible fighters around that would definitely prove difficult fights and even exciting match ups – Timothy Bradley, Ricardo Torres. But Hatton seems, if anything, disinterested at fighting these fighters below him after this upcoming fight with the technically gifted Paulie Malignaggi. The lure of massive paydays and record breaking attendances are the forefront to decisions to come from Ricky. Oscar De La Hoya is one name Ricky has recently brought up, despite declining the offer that was laid out to him not so long ago. Considering Golden Boy’s impending retirement this seems an odd one to add to a wish list considering Oscars hunt for an opponent which has seen him sign to fight a lightweight Pac-man.

The other name being touted is none other than Manny Pacquiao, so maybe Ricky is waiting on the winner of this mega -fight to decide his next opponent. Either would prove a money machine for Ricky Hatton and certainly send him down in history as one of the most popular fighters of this generation. But could he find more credible roads to walk that would add to his boxing resume, when he finally delivers it, complete, to Canastota for the Hall Of Fame to mark? I think so. It would mean either luring someone down to him or meeting someone up in the weight but at the end of your career, you want names not numbers on your CV.

The most exciting and entirely possible fight is a showdown with welterweight king Miguel Cotto, who is not a big welterweight, as we saw when he had a towering Margarito stalking him for 11 and a half rounds.

Styles make fights, and the out and out brawling style of these two would surely make for a battle, and it’s not like there would be so little money in that fight it’s not even a realistic option. A few years too late maybe, a contest when Cotto was at light welter would’ve easier to make, but definitely not on the scale of popularity it is now, with both having reigned at Jr. welter and welterweight respectively for some time.

Up and comer Timothy Bradley is another choice, having just dispatched of Hatton’s long time rival, and somewhat strange stalker, Junior Witter he also holds the WBC version of Hatton’s division. Nothing like unifying a few titles to bump you up in the rankings. I can’t see this fight happening, Bradley, for all his skill and youth, just isn’t a big enough pay per view draw just yet and would have to do something pretty spectacular in a short space of time to get Hatton attention. Ricardo Torres or Kendall Holt – having torn strips off each other in their one-round blow out a few months back, these would both be stern opposition.

Torres is one hell of a puncher and a knockout record to back it up and a offensive style to boot, this would be a dangerous one as there would be little on the line with no belt and very little general interest. Same with Kendall Holt, except there would be a title on the line. But these are all by the by, good fighters and maybe exciting fights, but just not the money makers top boxers want. They all want each other, weight no question. It’s all well and good having a massive fan base and lots of money to revel in at the end of a career, but if money and audiences were your reason you started boxing, then you’re a little deluded.

Surely it was boxing greatness and world recognition you wanted as being the best was what you aspired to be. Sometimes the bad guys make the most popular in time because of the fights they were in. It doesn’t say next to your name in Canastota ‘nice guy’ or ‘popular guy’, it says your record and the names you’ve beaten. I wouldn’t worry about record breaking attendances Ricky, as your fans we’ll follow you through thick and thin like we have, you just concentrate on being the best you can be in the ring and we’ll do the rest.