Hatton has weapons to win, claims De la Hoya

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Oscar de la Hoya, 10 times world champion at six different weights, lost the WBC welterweight crown to Mayweather last May.

Belting chance: Hatton can win, according to De la Hoya

But he believes Hatton has the weapons to send the American spiralling to defeat.

De la Hoya adds that, if he is proven right, he wants to fight Hatton next in in 2008.

"Most people cannot see past a convincing Mayweather win, but I've been in the ring with him recently and I'm giving Hatton a tremendous chance to win," said De la Hoya.

His company, Golden Boy, is promoting the fight, titled "Undefeated" in recognition of the 81 wins notched up by the two boxers, with 55 knockouts and no defeats between them.

De la Hoya makes various arguments in favour of the 28-year-old Manchester boxer, holder of the IBF junior welterweight title.

"Mayweather didn't like me jabbing at him for the first five rounds in our fight. He didn't know what to do," he said. "Hatton is younger, faster and stronger. He's going to have his hands full, but if he adds the jab much more to his armoury, Mayweather's going to be in for a surprise."

De la Hoya also points to Hatton's convincing win over Kostya Tszyu in 2005 — "he proved himself to the world that night" — and to the danger Mayweather will lose his focus, as he is appearing in the American TV celebrity show, "Dancing With the Stars", up to two weeks before the fight.

"If Hatton enters the ring with the perfect game plan he's my champion," he said.