Boxing: Booze and you lose, Hatton.

FLOYD Mayweather Sr has warned Ricky Hatton he must quit drinking between fights if he has any hope of defeating boxers of the calibre of Oscar De La Hoya or his son, Floyd Jr.

Hatton, who on Saturday night announced his return to form with a decisive 11thround stoppage of lightwelterweight rival Paulie Malignaggi, wants a showdown with De La Hoya or Manny Pacquiao next year at Wembley Stadium.

And he has also spoken of wanting a rematch with the now retired Mayweather Jr - the only fighter to have defeated the 'Hitman' in 46 professional fights.

But Hatton's new trainer Mayweather Sr believes that the 30-year-old must end his renowned fondness for drinking sessions and fast food between fights if he is to have a hope of competing at the top level against the likes of his former charge De La Hoya and his estranged son.

"It's something I'm very concerned about," Mayweather Sr said when asked about Hatton's lifestyle.

"I spoke to him about that and I talked to him again (before the fight). I told him 'you want to beat these guys, man, you want to continue to beat these guys like Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr?

"You can forget about whupping those kind of guys if you're going to continue that kind of life, drinking and Ricky Fatton and all that.

"That's not going to work right here in the United States.

"It's very simple. He needs to do this to save his career, however much time he has left - it might be two or three years, but the less he gets into (drinking alcohol) the longer his career is going to last.

"Alcohol or liquor and eating bad - he's got to be leaving that stuff alone."