Lively Ricky Hatton talks Kell Brook-Gennady Golovkin fight, plus Canelo and Mayweather

The one and only Ricky Hatton, who created two of the more festive fight weeks of the last decade in Las Vegas, showed again Thursday that he knows how to stir things up.

The Englishman and former fighter was asked about countryman Kell Brook’s longshot attempt to defeat middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin on Sept. 10 at London’s O2 Arena.

“I understand why Kell took the fight — one’s for the payday,” Hatton said. “Two, he won the title, you want routine defenses to put pennies in the bank to help yourself and family in the future. He’s done that now. Now, he wants to test himself against the best.”

Hatton said that Brook, the unbeaten International Boxing Federation welterweight champion, suffered from “watching the parade go by” as welterweights Amir Khan and Manny Pacquiao opted for other opponents.

“You want to fight the best,” Hatton said. “Along comes Golovkin … ”

The increase in weight reminded Hatton of his choice to move up from a junior-welterweight title to meet Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao, which created epic weigh-ins with crowds roaring in song, “There’s only one Ricky Hatton,” before he was knocked out by both.

“Didn’t enjoy it,” Hatton said, laughing. “I wasn’t a welterweight. I’m short. The seven [extra] pounds was tough.

“I’m not surprised Kell’s taking this test. As champions, that’s what we want to do.”

The expectation is that Brook won’t last long, considering Golovkin’s 22-fight knockout streak and 16 consecutive World Boxing Assn. title victories.

Hatton, who helped train junior-middleweight Sergey Rabchenko of Belarus for a Saturday bout to open the Showtime broadcast against Detroit’s Tony Harrison, said Brook has sparred with Rabchenko and won praise for his punching power.

“He’ll have his successes,” Hatton said of Brook. “He’s a good boxer. I’m sure he’ll have a few good rounds. ,But you have to fear that weight is going to come into it, and, technically, Golovkin is sound, as well.

“So we’ll have to keep our fingers crossed.”

Hatton’s reference to his own discomfort moving up in weight brought a question about Canelo Alvarez’s reluctance to move from his May 7 weight, 155 pounds, to meet Golovkin at 160 until September 2017.

Alvarez will fight 154-pound champion Liam Smith of England on Sept. 17 outside Dallas.

“He might not want to fight the best,” Hatton said. “He might feel comfortable at 154. Or, he might be playing a clever game by making everyone wait.”

Hatton finished the sentence by rubbing his fingers together, indicating that money is at the root of the delay.

“I believe Floyd will come back for his 50th fight too,” Hatton added. “He’s just making ’em wait.”

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