Ricky Hatton believes Amir Khan has "a good chance" of fighting Floyd Mayweather on September 12 because he failed to shine in his last fight.
Bolton's former world light-welterweight champion Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) claims a deal is "very close" to fight Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but faces competition from American Keith Thurman.
Khan, 28, has been calling for a fight with American Mayweather for two years and has so far been overlooked by the American, who is considered boxing's pound-for-pound king and has won world titles in five weight divisions.
The retired Hatton is a former Mayweather victim but he believes Khan has the speed to upset sport's highest earner.
Manchester's former two-weight world champion Hatton, 36, believes Khan's points win over American Chris Algieri last month has enhanced rather than damaged his chances of landing a £10 million pay day with Mayweather.
Khan was rocked early on against Algieri and although he won comfortably on points, he failed to sparkle. But Hatton thinks it was a performance that will help Khan secure a fight against WBC-WBA-WBO world welterweight champion Mayweather.
"I think Amir stands a good chance of getting Floyd now," Hatton told ESPN. "I don't think Amir would have scared Mayweather with his last performance, and that might help him get the fight.
"Amir was always on the move against Devon Alexander and Luis Collazo and that might have put Floyd off fighting Amir.
"Styles make fights and Floyd loves fighting big punchers because he can sit back on the ropes, roll his shoulder and slip the punches and do what he does so well. But someone who might trouble him is someone who can match him for speed - someone like Amir.
"Amir against Alexander and Collazo might have put Floyd off but in Amir's last fight I don't think he looked quite as good and that may have helped his chances of getting Floyd.
"I hope Amir gets it because he deserves it. He's taken a slagging, he's got KO'd a couple times but he always comes back and he's never shy of a challenge. He deserves to fight Mayweather."
Hatton does not blame Khan for pursuing a fight with Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao in Dubai early next year instead of fighting British rival Kell Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) next.
Brook is the IBF world welterweight champion and Khan has reportedly been offered $5m (£3.2m) to face the Sheffield boxer.
But Hatton thinks Khan-Brook can wait.
"Amir has to go for Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao next and Mayweather is the best in the world," Hatton said. "If those fights don't come off then the best pay day would be Kell Brook at a football stadium.
"There's no reason why Khan-Brook could not be as big as Benn-Eubank or Froch-Groves. You could have a trilogy and a great rivalry. If you can get 80,000 for Froch-Groves you could get the same for those two at welterweight. It's a great domestic rivalry that can raise their popularity. Not everyone gets that sort of rivalry in their careers. Joe Calzaghe is the best we've had in my opinion, but he never had it."
Hatton retired after a comeback in 2012 and is currently publicizing his latest book about his experiences of five fights in Las Vegas. Despite being knocked out in the tenth round by Mayweather in 2007, Hatton still regards that fight as his best Vegas moment.
"The Mayweather fight was probably my favourite moment even though it was a defeat because of the atmosphere in the week, at the fight, at the weigh-in," Hatton said. "There was 30,000 that went across to watch me and it just seemed that Great Britain took over the whole of Las Vegas that week.
"The best pound-for-pound fighter in the world who lives in Las Vegas was like the away fighter that week."
Ricky Hatton's Vegas Tales book is now available to buy now.