Cristiano Ronaldo: Why Former Boxing Champion Wants To Give Al Nassr Star a ‘Slap’ and ‘Fight’ Him

• Ricky Hatton has named Cristiano Ronaldo as his dream opponent
• Known as the "Hitman" during his days Hatton jokingly has a reason for wanting to slap Ronaldo
• The 44-year-old's yearning to fight Ronaldo is due to his links to one particular Premier League side

Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has playfully mentioned Cristiano Ronaldo as his dream opponent while humorously explaining his desire to "give" the football legend a friendly slap.

Ronaldo, who had two tenures at Manchester United, significantly contributed to the club's domestic dominance under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, often irking rival fans, including those from Manchester City.

Hatton, a lifelong City supporter, holds a special place in his heart for his beloved club and humorously nominated Ronaldo as a dream sparring partner, emphasizing his lighthearted desire to exchange playful banter with the 38-year-old football icon.

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“Cristiano Ronaldo," he told Mighty Tips as per GOAL.

"He used to play for Man United. United fans love him. He’s good-looking, so why would you not want to give him a slap? I’d have to catch him first, but he was certainly some player, wasn’t he?”

Who is Ricky Hatton?

Ricky Hatton, a boxing legend, faced off against the finest during his storied career.

During his illustrious career, the "Hitman" traded blows with boxing greats like Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and Kostya Tsyzu, retiring from the sport with an impressive 45-3 record in 2012, according to talkSPORT.

Now, at the age of 44, the former two-weight world champion has regained his fighting form and made a comeback to the boxing scene, engaging in an exhibition match against fellow boxing icon Marco Antonio Barrera last year.

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Meanwhile, Sports Brief reported that Cristiano Ronaldo has stepped into the limelight to promote the highly-anticipated fight in Riyadh.

The upcoming heavyweight boxing showdown between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou is set to take place in Saudi Arabia this October.

Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr, posted a promotional advert on his Instagram featuring him at a mock press conference, where he shares his thoughts on the much-awaited bout.