Ricky Hatton will face the toughest fight of his career to date when he meets Jose Luis Castillo, the former world lightweight champion, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas on June 23. The pair will clash for the nominal IBO light-welterweight crown but the belt is a virtual irrelevance with the prize of becoming undisputed king of the 147lbs division at stake.

Castillo, 33, made his name in two epic battles with American Diego Corrales which underlined his reputation as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport.

Both Hatton and the Mexican will have an extra incentive to impress after largely disappointing performances on the same bill at the Paris Casino in Las Vegas last month. Castillo looked well below par as he scraped a split decision win over Hernan Ngoudjo, of Cameroon, before Hatton also laboured to a points win over Juan Urango, of Colombia.

Hatton claimed the IBF version of the light-welterweight title with that win, but politics subsequently forced him to give up the belt in order to pursue his super-fight against Castillo.

However, the 28-year-old Mancunian is looking ahead to his next bout: "I am not going to take a backward step and neither will Jose. That has always been a priority for me as a fighter because it means a lot to me what the fans think.

"People remember fighters like me, Arturo Gatti and Julio Cesar Chavez more than they remember safety-first fighters like Floyd Mayweather [the WBC Welterweight champion].

"As fantastic as Mayweather is, I would not swap my style for his talent. I think he will be very negative in the De La Hoya fight. I might set the video but I won't stay up to watch it."

Hatton admitted he still could hardly believe the trajectory of his career since he first laced on the gloves as a schoolboy on the Hattersley council estate where he grew up.

"When I beat Kostya Tszyu I beat one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world and Jose undoubtedly falls into that category as well, " Hatton said. "You become a great fighter by fighting great fighters and Jose is one of them. I am so excited about this fight and I am living my dreams by topping the bill in Las Vegas again.

"This fight does not need anyone to sell it because everybody knows how good it is going to be. It is what the fans want to see and I hope to make the whole country proud of me."

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