For Ricky Hatton, tomorrow night's fight at the City of Manchester Stadium represents a major new test.

In his 11th year as a pro boxer, and after 44 fights, this is the first time the world light-welterweight champion has returned from a defeat. And Hatton, 29, admits he is still coming to terms with his 10th-round stoppage at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas just before Christmas.

This will add to the pressure to perform against veteran Mexican Juan Lazcano in front of a sell-out crowd of 55,000 who will be expecting their hero to prove he still has what it takes.

"Training has gone as good as ever," said Hatton. "But when you're coming back from a defeat, and a knockout defeat at that, the gym can be a comfort zone.

"You're in there telling yourself it will be all right, that there will be no problems. But you simply cannot prepare for that moment when you step back in the ring with a real opponent waiting in the opposite corner.

"How will I react? I'll only be able to answer that on the night. But everybody knows I'm strong willed and strong minded."

Given the circumstances Lazcano, 33, represents a canny piece of matchmaking. A seemingly impressive 27 of his 37 wins have come inside the distance but until five bouts ago he fought mainly at lightweight.

Lazcano is hyped as the 'Hispanic Causing Panic' but he hasn't been doing much of that lately with just one ring appearance in the last 19 months, and he lost to Vivian Harris, who in turn was well beaten by Hatton's antagonist Junior Witter.

The rematch with Mayweather, looking set for Wembley or Croke Park in Dublin next year, will be a much stiffer test.