Hatton, who recently decided to end his career after 52 bouts and numerous titles, lost out to ‘Canelo’ when moving up in weight to fight for the WBC 154lb title in March 2011.
However, he gave a good account of himself in completing the full twelve rounds.
With his experience of sharing the ring with Alvarez, the 32-year-old sees a close encounter on the cards between the two champions but believes Mayweather’s weight restriction on the 42-0-1 contender could have a bearing on the result.
“I think Canelo has a few advantages and qualities going into this fight that can see him being victorious,” Hatton told World Boxing News.
“There is a flip side to that, though as so does Mayweather, that’s why I see this being such a close fight. Canelo’s obvious advantages are his strength, size, and youth, but the one thing about Mayweather and his team is that they are very clever and look for any edge they can get.
“To me, making Alvarez come in at 152lbs is a big one. I think it will really hurt him to make that lower mark, and it could be a big factor in the outcome.”
Saying that and weight issues aside, Hatton isn’t mincing his words when predicting a victor at the MGM Grand on Saturday night, with ‘Canelo’ having gained enough experience through his six-year career bring about the start of a new era, in his view.
“I see a really close fight on the 14th,” explained Hatton. “From originally thinking Mayweather all day long, as the fight draws closer, I see the fight differently. Maybe I am guilty of letting my heart rule my head because I really like Canelo as a fighter and a person, but I genuinely feel this could be a passing of the torch.
“I envisage a really close fight – which could be interpreted differently by fight fans and could also be controversial. But I am not going to sit on the fence.
“I am going for Alvarez to win a tight decision as I feel the fight will be so close, and ‘Money’ Mayweather could be on the wrong end of a decision.
“I think Alvarez is the cash cow of the future for Golden Boy, and although it shouldn’t happen, this is boxing, and it could be a factor. All that said, I, for one, can’t wait for this fight!”
