Ricky Hatton hints at return, will consider his options in 2010

While promoting his brother Matthew and other fighters, Ricky Hatton has started to get the old feelings again, and told Sky Sports he's considering a return to the ring. Hatton last fought on May 2, when he was shellacked by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds.

However, the Manchester-born fighter recently made a guest appearance on WWE Raw, and he admits the roar of the crowd relit the fire inside him.

"It was brilliant and I must admit, when I got into the ring and heard the crowd roar, I started thinking to myself 'I've missed this'" Hatton told Sky Sports News.

"Who knows, next year after Christmas and New Year, and after the holiday I've got booked for January, I might have a serious think about what I'm doing.

Hatton looked fat on WWE Raw, to put it bluntly, which should be no problem considering Hatton himself knows he gets fat between fights. There will be plenty of options for him should he choose to return. He can go the domestic comeback route, against a fighter like Paul McCloskey. He can seek out a veteran who presents little danger, someone such as Julio Diaz or Souleymane M'baye. He could accept a bigger challenge, like Juan Manuel Marquez or Juan Diaz, both of whom have expressed great interest in fighting him. He could settle up with Junior Witter, a fight past its expiration date but one that would still be big in the UK.

Hell, he could go right at one of the young titleholders at 140 pounds, too. It all depends on what Ricky would be looking for off the bat, but I'd suspect he'll look to shake the rust, so a domestic star or a veteran would seem most likely. Any comeback would be Hatton's first with Lee Beard as lead trainer, as he has officially taken over that role from Floyd Mayweather Sr., whose two-fight run with the "Hitman" was a mixed affair to say the least. He looked better than he has in years against Paul Malignaggi, but was then run over by Pacquiao.