By Rob Hodgetts

Takaloo beat Jim Rock in February for the WBU title

Light-middleweight champion Takaloo has his sights set on a lucrative clash with America's Oscar de la Hoya after finally gaining a British passport.

The 28-year-old Iranian-born fighter has lived in England for 22 years but was only granted British nationality three weeks ago.

He is now savouring the prospect of a potential big-money fight in America.

"De la Hoya needs to put his promoter's head on. It'll be a great fight to make," he told BBC Sport.

Takaloo, who is based in Margate, has been unable to go on foreign holidays or fight abroad for fear of not being allowed back into Britain.

"It's like winning the world title," he said.

"I've missed out on so many things. Financially it's been bad. But now I'm hoping to capitalise on it."

The interest's there - two million Iranians live in Los Angeles and De la Hoya's from there Takaloo

He revealed he would discuss his immediate plans for his first foreign venture with promoter Frank Warren after Christmas.

But he said he was targeting a couple of warm-up bouts with top-10 fighters in America before going after De la Hoya, who lost his WBC and WBA super-welterweight titles to Shane Mosley in September.

"The interest's there. Two million Iranians live in Los Angeles and De la Hoya's from there," he said.

But Takaloo admitted that his long-time target Wayne Alexander, the former British and European champion, may no longer be an option.

"Wayne knows I want him and I've been asking for him for some time now," he said .

"But the sad thing is he got beaten last week in Cardiff so I don't know if that'll be a good fight for me now."

For me Iran is a different country - I can't even speak the language that well Takaloo

Takaloo - real name Mehrdad Takalobigashi - realised he had a problem with immigration at 16 when he needed a passport to travel with the England squad.

And ever since then he has battled with the Home Office to gain British citizenship.

"I was a young lad when I came over here. I didn't speak a word of English," he said.

"But this is my adopted country. I was brought up here, all my friends are British and I've been westernised since I've been here."

He was even served with deportation papers at one point before being granted temporary "exceptional leave" in 1998.

"It was scary times. I was looking at being sent to Iran. For me Iran is a different country. I didn't know much about it, and it would have been such a shock.