Lightweight slugger Michael Katsidis and his manager-trainer Brendon Smith are hopeful of landing a fight with Ricky Hatton in Manchester, with Smith revealing a potential bout was already in talks.

Katsidis's trainer and manager Brendon Smith revealed he had already been talking with the Hatton camp prior to last weekend's bout.

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Smith said he had not yet heard from the Englishman's camp and was still optimistic the fight with Katsidis could be made.

"I believe it's still a very good chance of happening. Knowing Ricky, I don't think he would want to finish his career like that," Smith said.

Smith said no date or venue had been discussed for the proposed fight.

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"We are not concerned about going to Ricky Hatton's backyard because we've taken our show on the road for the last two years," Smith said.

I think we all expect that Hatton's next fight -- should he have one -- will be in Manchester, and Katsidis has never shown any problem going anywhere he can to make a fight. The Aussie now lives in Thailand and he hasn't fought in Australia since 2006. Since then he's fought in London (Graham Earl), Vegas (Czar Amonsot), California (Joel Casamayor), Houston (Juan Diaz's hometown), Cebu City, and Austin (Jesus Chavez's hometown).

Katsidis would be moving up in weight, obviously, but though he beat Jesus Chavez last time out, he's still not right in line to get any title shots at 135. He's a tough, exciting fighter that would also fairly well play into the game Hatton is best at.