Ricky Hatton is ready to step up a weight division to fight the winner of Oscar de la Hoya versus Manny Pacquiao after outclassing Paulie Malignaggi in their light-welterweight bout in Las Vegas.

Hatton earned an 11th round TKO after Malignaggi's corner conceded the bout with their man comfortably behind on the judges' cards, retaining the Ring Magazine and IBO title belts.

Malignaggi was furious with that decision, but it merely accelerated the Mancunian's inevitable victory.

And despite sustaining his the only defeat of his career last time he stepped up a division to face Floyd Mayweather jr - whose estranged father Floyd snr trained Hatton for this contest - the 30-year-old is ready to confront those demons once more.

"I've had 46 fights now and only lost one - and he was the best pound for pound in the world," he told Sky Box Office.

"No-one will ever beat me at junior-welterweight, no-one. But what sort of a champion would I be if I didn't take them (De la Hoya and Pacquiao) on next? That's what Ricky Hatton is all about.

"I've certainly put myself in the shop window, and after another training camp with Floyd, I think I'll get even better.

"If I'm going to have another two years left, I want big fights. If I have to move up to 147lbs again, let's do it."

Hatton was as measured in his assessment of the fight as he was in the ring, insisting that although he was pleased with his best performance for some time, there was still more to come from his fledgling partnership with Mayweather snr.

"I enjoyed it better than last time I was here, that's for sure," he said.

"I've just come into a new camp and I've been working on new things. Floyd and I have been together for seven or eight weeks and it doesn't happen overnight.

"But I showed glimpses of what I can do. And after being with Floyd for seven weeks, I think that's pretty impressive."

He continued: "Frustration crept in; I think I hurt him too early in the fight.

"The first punch I threw, I hurt him and at times it was slightly back to the old Ricky Hatton, but Floyd will see to that.

"I was a little more patient, I was picking my shots a bit better and using my head a little more. But it can still get a damn sight better, that's for sure."

The vanquished Malignaggi admitted he was heading for defeat but was distraught with the decision to end the fight prematurely.

He told Sky Box Office: "Maybe I wasn't going to win, I accept that but I'm better than being stopped.

"I'm better than that. Ricky fought a great fight and I'm not taking anything away from him but it's a knockout on my record and it shouldn't be.

"I was hurt worse in the (Miguel) Cotto fight and they didn't stop that."

In response to the travelling British support, who gave Malignaggi a rough ride before, during and after the bout, he said: "Boo me or cheer me, whatever. You guys always make the festivities more fun.

"Give yourselves a round of applause."