The former welterweight and light-welterweight world champion has not fought since he was knocked out in the second round by Filipino great Manny Pacquiao in May last year. “I have decided to make a comeback and have another fight this year, probably around about the summertime,” the 31-year-old Manchester ‘Hitman’ told Hatton TV on his website (www.brandhatton.com).
“There is is no opponent that has been confirmed yet and no date confirmed yet but the point is that I have made my mind up that I am going to have one more fight.”
Asked whether it would really be just one more fight, Hatton recognised it might not end there.
“Maybe two more fights but it all depends on the performance of the first fight,” he said. “It’s always hard coming back from defeat.
“I think it would be very foolish of me to say ‘two more fights, three more fights.’ You can see I have set the wheels in motion for retirement… I am not going to have too many more fights.
“At the minute I am definitely just going to have one more.”
Hatton — who has won 45 of his 47 fights — shrugged off concerns about his health and said he had enjoyed a good break after the Pacquaio defeat with time to reflect and put that blow to the back of his mind.
He sets off to Australia next week for a holiday with his girlfriend but said he would get back into training as soon as he returned because “weight wise I have a little bit more to carry than I normally do.”
Sky sports television said Hatton would return at light-welterweight.
“I think after the (Floyd) Mayweather defeat (in 2007) I jumped straight into action straight away and I didn’t really perform my best,” said Hatton. “This time I’ve had a good rest, recharged my batteries and had a really good think.”
Asked about possible opponents, Hatton mentioned Colombia’s IBF light-welterweight champion Juan Urango, although he has already fought and beaten him.
He said last month that retired American ‘golden boy’ Oscar de la Hoya or Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez would be top of his hit list.
“It’s got to be a top 10 ranked pound-for-pound fighter or a world champion of some sort,” he said.
“I could not have one more fight where people look at me and go ‘Well, he just had this fight just to knock someone over and end his career on top. If I am going to end my career, I want to end my career at the top.”
