INQUIRER Sports

LONDON?Ricky Hatton is considering a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. or a meeting with Oscar De La Hoya in the wake of a breakdown in negotiations on a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton had been due to face Pacquiao, rated the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, in Las Vegas on May 2 but the fight was called off this week, apparently because the two camps could not agree on how to split the purse.

Gareth Williams, Hatton's lawyer, confirmed that negotiations had reached a dead end but said the real reason was Pacquiao's reluctance to face his client.

"It is dead in the water," Williams said. "I've heard a lot of press saying the stumbling block was this 60-40 or 50-50 split negotiation but I personally don't believe that to be the case.

"My understanding is Pacquiao has been guaranteed the money he has asked for by (promotor) Bob Arum and for reasons known only to himself, he doesn't want to fight Ricky Hatton.

"I think this 60-40 thing is a smokescreen. There are other reasons why he doesn't want to fight Ricky Hatton."

Williams said Hatton was now looking at possible bouts against De La Hoya, or Mayweather, who retired after inflicting Hatton's only career defeat in 2007 but is contemplating a comeback. Hatton's preference would be for the fights to take place in Britain, he added.