Scotland’s former WBO super featherweight champion Alex Arthur could well be the next Hitman as he holds talks with Ricky Hatton about joining Hatton Promotions following his split with long term promoter Frank Warren.

Arthur recently parted ways with Warren amidst uncertainty of the Edinburgh fighter’s future following his loss against Nigel Wright. Arthur was unhappy about the fight claiming he was too big a name to fighting to an empty arena in an early slot on the undercard of Amir Khan’s WBA world title defence.

Just a year earlier ‘Amazing’ Alex Arthur had shared top billing with the Bolton fighter in a disastrous night in which both fighters lost. Arthur lost his WBO title to Nicky Cook, while Khan was floored inside the first round by Colombian Breidis Prescott.

The 31-year-old Arthur has now held extensive talks with Hatton Promotions about fighting under their banner and believes the new company set up by the former light-welterweight champion is the place to continue his career.

“Our discussions were very productive. Ricky and I are singing from the same song sheet. I’m excited at the prospect of fighting under the Hatton banner,” said Arthur, 27-3 (20 KOs).

“There are one or two minor details still to be ironed out, but I don’t envisage a problem finalising the deal in the near future.

“After being inactive for far too long, I am looking at having a couple of eight-round warm-up bouts, possibly at the end of May and again in July before challenging for a title of some sort at lightweight.”

Arthur fought just once in 2008 and twice in 2009 after suffering from an illness. He has since moved up to lightweight where he looked strong in his first round knockout of Mohamed Benbiou, but suffered the  third defeat of his career against Wright when he stepped up light welterweight.