Lewis retired with a record of 41 wins, two losses and one draw

Britain's former world heavyweight champion told BBC 5 Live's Sportsweek: "Ricky now has to sit down and see how he wants to re-establish his career.

"But if it were me, unless I felt I could come back and actually beat Mayweather, then I would retire.

"He can say he tried his best but Floyd was the better man on the night."

Interview: Lennox Lewis

Interview: Barry McGuigan

News conference: Ricky Hatton

If Hatton does carry on, Lewis believes he should consider returning to light-welterweight.

I don't think Ricky has anything else to prove, but it should be up to him if he wants to retire Lennox Lewis

"If (welterweight) is not the weight he performs at best then I wouldn't advise him to box there again," Lewis said.

"When you go up these guys can take your punches a lot more easily and hurt you. No one likes to lose, and Ricky will now get a chance to look at his performance.

"He's been boxing for his whole life and I don't think he has anything else to prove, but it should be up to Ricky if he wants to retire.

"He can say he tried his best but Floyd was the better man on the night and there's nothing he can do about that."

But former featherweight champion Barry McGuigan said Hatton still had a long future ahead of him in boxing.

Ricky's still a young man and there's a few more fights left in the kid Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard

"Of course he should continue," said McGuigan. "It's much too soon for him to retire."

And boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard agreed that it was far too soon for Hatton to call it a day.

"Ricky's still a young man and there's a few more fights left in the kid," said Leonard. "He should take a nice long break and spend time with his family and come back later."

Leonard also said that Mayweather must be considered one of the all-time greats of the ring.

"I think Mayweather could have held his own against pretty much anyone," he said.

606: DEBATE What next for Hatton? ycsyfeuya

Lewis agreed that Mayweather proved he was in a class of his own.

"Floyd is so quick and displayed all his talents," said Lewis. "Ricky was getting smothered by his own punches and it was very difficult for him to get a good punch off.

"It was like Floyd was waiting for him to come in and was luring him into the trap.

"One of the things Ricky could have done was to give himself more punching room and try to throw more upper cuts, but Mayweather was too good on the night."