Amir Khan, WBA light welterweight champion, admitted that a British showdown with Ricky Hatton is possible.

Khan is in action on Saturday when he defends his title for the first time against New York-based Dmitriy Salita in Newcastle.

The 22-year-old Bolton fighter told BBC radio 5 Live that a super-fight with Hatton could happen as the former world champion is looking to get his hands on Khan’s title.

"It is not nonsense,” said Khan. "It is a fight that could happen because we are both at the same weights, I am a world champion now, Ricky has come back into the game again from retirement and he wants another shot at a world title.

"Let's just see how things go - it is all up to the promotion side of it,” added Khan, whose conqueror Breidis Prescott is also on the same bill in Newcastle. 

"It would be a big British fight, a fight that the British fans want to see. It is just a shame we are at the same weight because we are good friends. But business is business and sometimes you have to fight your friends."

Khan has been training alongside the legendary Manny Pacquiao - the man who defeated 31-year-old Hatton inside two rounds earlier this year - in preparation for his first defence.

Undefeated Ukrainian-born Salita will hope to repeat the success of Prescott against Khan in September last year.

However, Khan insists that defeat has sharpened his focus and improved him, along with his training under renowned coach Freddie Roach.
 
"It has made me a better fighter," said Khan. "The way I came back from that defeat, not many could come back from it and it has changed me from a boy to a man.

"Also it has probably changed my life around inside and outside the boxing ring. I take the sport more seriously and I am totally dedicated in the sport now.

"I can't wait to fight, and show the public, and show my fans how much I have learned in the last 12 months. I want to keep hold of this world title as long as I can, defend it a lot of times and win more world titles on top of it."

Salita is highly-rated in the United States and appears a tough opponent but Khan reckons he has sussed a gameplan during his Californian training camp.

"He has got sticky feet, slow feet and has very little lateral movement, so that will work to my advantage," Khan remarked.