http://www.itv-boxing.com/News/Story...158587,00.html

Saw this Smash...thought it'd be important to the thread

Hatton slams 'so called experts'

Ricky Hatton has hit back at those who have 'the cheek' to say he's past his peak and that the end of his career is approaching quickly.

With his Las Vegas bout against Jose Luis Castillo on June 23 looming large, it appears the 'The Hitman' needs to prove a growing number of doubters wrong with an impressive victory if he's to stand a chance of putting himself in the frame to take on either Floyd Mayweather or Oscar De La Hoya.

Since his sensational year in 2005, when he dramatically defeated world number one Kostya Tszyu inside a packed MEN Arena before becoming the first man to legitimately knock out Carlos Maussa in their IBF and WBA light-welterweight unification bout in Sheffield, the 28-year-old from Hyde has been below par.

Despite beating Luis Collazo and Juan Urango in his two most recent bouts, critics claim the scrappy nature of these triumphs indicate his best years might be behind him.

However Hatton, who puts his IBO light-welterweight title on the line against Castillo, has shrugged off the pressure and insists some critics just don't understand the sport.

Asked if he felt extra pressure, he told sportinglife.com: "No not really. Only to prove to myself.

"A lot of the doubters obviously don't know their boxing because since the Kostya Tszyu fight I've won four world titles in my last three fights in two weight divisions and some people have the cheek to say I've had a stuttering last few years really. And I think that's nonsense.

"Anybody knows that you can't fight a Kostya Tszyu every time you fight and likewise the last couple of opponents I've had have been southpaws and tricky so I've not really had the best of opponents to shine in.

"You'd expect these so-called experts to notice that. But sometimes they don't."

Hatton accepts a thrilling fight is almost as essential as victory against Castillo if he's to make that final step to the very top.

He said: "If you have a fight, even though you may win, and you stink the place out then obviously not as many people are going to come and watch you next time. Every time you fight you're putting yourself in the shop window if you like and it's very important that you win and win in style."

And if he can deliver the goods at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, then he can't see any reason why Mayweather or De La Hoya wouldn't want to face him.

He said: "If they still want to continue fighting on then they would be massive scalps should I take them. I think they would see me as a big draw now with the amounts of tickets I sell, the following I have and how exciting I am to watch and stuff like that.

"So when you think of who is out there, a big name and an attraction who De La Hoya or Mayweather would like to fight then I would hope I'd be up there amongst them."

Recently even Hatton's trainer Billy Graham has warned his star pupil to call it quits soon and avoid ending his career beaten on the mat.

But while 'The Hitman' admits there might only be three years of his fighting career left, he's adamant there's no point constraining himself by setting a final date yet.

"I don't want to say I've got one fight left in me or six fights left in me. I think a fighter knows when they've reached their peak and their best and I think it would be an easy decision for me to make.

"I know a lot of fighters go on past it but I'm not going to start contemplating retiring when I know how well I'm performing in the gym and I know how much I'm improving still," he said.

"I mean Billy himself and everyone in the team including my brother and my father know I'm still improving so I can't consider stopping while I continue to do so."