By Alex Trickett

MAYWEATHER FACT FILE Born: 24/02/1977 Birthplace: Grand Rapids, MI Hometown: Las Vegas Record: 34-0 (23 KOs) Alias: Pretty Boy Height: 5ft 8in Stance: Orthodox Reach: 72in Trainer: Roger Mayweather Manager: James Prince

Team Ricky Hatton should think very long and very hard before signing any bit of paper that sends their man into the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

There are many tempting reasons to set up the light welterweight unification bout.

Mayweather won the prestigious WBC title by destroying Arturo Gatti on Saturday, and Hatton would love to add that belt to the IBF one, which resides with him in Manchester.

There would also be millions to be made.

Mayweather, 28, and Hatton, 26, are two of the hottest properties in boxing right now, so a head-to-head would have "Fight of the Year" written all over it and would pack out any US - or UK - venue.

And "Pretty Boy" Mayweather says he fancies the fight, which could make it that much easier to arrange.

"If me and Ricky Hatton could get it on at Madison Square Garden (New York), that's what I'd like to do," he said after stopping Gatti in six rounds in Atlantic City.

But perhaps that statement is the first reason for Hatton to exercise caution.

KEY FIGHTS 03/10/1998: Beats Genaro Hernandez to win WBC super featherweight title 20/01/2001: Batters Diego Corrales to defend title for sixth time 20/04/2002: Outpoints Jose Luis Castillo to win WBC lightweight belt 25/06/2005: Beats Arturo Gatti to win third WBC title - at light welterweight

Mayweather is probably so relaxed about the prospect of taking on "Hitman" Hatton because, after dominating Gatti, he feels he can live with anyone in the division.

Remember the American is fairly new to light welterweight.

He only stepped up from lightweight in 2004 and a few critics wondered if he would have the power to live with the big "bangers" of his new division.

Mayweather answered those critics on Saturday, by dancing around the powerful Gatti and picking him off easily with snapping three-punch combinations.

The manner of his victory should send some alarm bells ringing in the Hatton camp.

Gatti is an aggressive fighter, who comes on to an opponent and tries to bully him - and so is Hatton.

If we're talking plain boxing skills, Mayweather's hard to touch, literally From Marvin Have your say on Five Live

Playing back footage of Hatton's stoppage of Kostya Tszyu, one negative in a sensational display was that the Hitman was picked off a few too many times coming in.

At 35, Tszyu did not have the power to make this count, but a prime-age Mayweather most likely would.

Without intending to belittle Hatton - who is one of the finest British fighters for years - boxing styles might make "dancing" Mayweather too tough to beat.

Photos of the fight

Besides, "Pretty Boy" is making a stronger and stronger case to dethrone middleweight Bernard Hopkins as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Unbeaten in 34 contests, Mayweather brushed aside all before him at super featherweight - including the vaunted Diego Corrales - before terrorising Jose Luis Castillo and the lightweight division.

Now a three-weight champion, the 28-year-old has started to compare himself to all-time boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard.

Frighteningly, the comparisons are not without some credibility. Ricky Hatton beware.