By Sean McDaniel: There’s talk about Ricky Hatton coming back early next year to possibly fight World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) in a comeback fight. However, I’d much rather see Hatton take on a younger fighter with more like WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KO’s).

I think a fight against Maidana would be much more interesting for boxing fans, and be a better match up for Hatton. Maidana is a straight ahead type fighter with crushing punching power who will be coming at Hatton full bore for 12 rounds, unlike the counter punching Marquez. Hatton does well against fighters that stand in front of him and try to trade shots.

I don’t think that Hatton would do well against the counter punching style of Marquez. Hatton hasn’t faced anyone like him during his career, and it would be a shocking experience for him to be with that kind of fighter with Hatton’s recent knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao. Maidana obviously would be a be big test for Hatton, because of his knockout power in both hands.

However, if Hatton was really careful and avoided getting hit with one of Maidana’s big shots, he might be able to get out of this fight in one piece with an impressive victory. The benefit for Hatton in facing Maidana is that the fighter is young, well respected and considered a knockout artist. Hatton would get much more credit if he were to beat Maidana than he would be beating a 36-year-old Marquez, who just finished getting badly schooled in a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in September. For Hatton, he would be in a no win situation if he takes the fight with Marquez.

If Hatton beats Marquez, it’s not a big deal because of how bad – and old – Marquez looked in his last fight with Mayweather. People will say that Marquez was old, that he was moving up in weight to fight Hatton, and that he had taken too much punishment in his fight with Mayweather. But if Marquez beats Hatton, well then frankly it’s pretty much over for Hatton.

Hatton would have lost three out of his last five fights at that point, and that would be a good sign that he’s reached the end of his rope in his pro boxing career. If Marquez knocks Hatton out, that would be even worse for him. Marquez can punch well, but he’s not a huge puncher like Maidana.

With fighting Maidana, Hatton would be going up against a fighter in his own weight class. He wouldn’t have to worry about being labeled as someone cherry picking a fighter from a lower weight class to try and look good and further his career. Maidana is a full fledged light welterweight with better size and power than Hatton. This would be the most impressive options for Hatton to take if he wants to get the attention of boxing fans in a real hurry.

Win or lose, Hatton would have the respect of fans just for taking on a dangerous puncher like Maidana. Of course, there would be a big danger in fighting Maidana, because he can punch like a mule and if he connects with a big shot, which he obviously will many times against Hatton, there will be a possibility that Ricky might get knocked out again. If Maidana catches Hatton with a big shot, he might knock him into next week. But Hatton has to take that chance if he wants to win back the respect of boxing fans. You have to fail big to impress fans.