British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes WBO world super lightweight champion Josh Taylor will thrive off the opportunity to fight at Madison Square Garden.
Taylor returns to the ring for the first time 16 months when he defends his title against Teofimo Lopez and there is a huge amount of pressure on the Scotsman's shoulders with this contest being his New York debut.
However, Hatton sees this particular fight as one which the sport of boxing desperately needs.
"I think Taylor will be able to handle the pressure of a fight at Madison Square Garden," Hatton told Gambling Zone.
"He’s been in some good fights. Lopez is a great fighter; these are the type of fights that the sport of boxing needs. This is a big fight. We need more of these. We need Fury to fight Joshua or Usyk to fight Joshua."
Hatton has experience within the historic venue when he fought at MSG early on his career, but when reflecting on that moment, he revealed that it was an occasion which did not faze him.
"When I fought there, I was only eighteen, but despite my young age, I knew the history of the place and I warmed to it," Hatton said.
"Taylor will be thinking about the magnitude of the event, and I think he’ll warm to it – he will handle the pressure of fighting there. You dream of fighting on those stages and he’ll be ready for it."