LONDON - Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan urged Ricky Hatton to hang up his gloves Monday, saying his career is over following his defeat to Manny Pacquiao at the weekend.

"After a loss like that there is no point talking about a future in the ring," he wrote in the Daily Mirror, after Hatton was knocked out in Las Vegas.

McGuigan added: "He was a world class boxer, one of Britain's finest, no question. Now it is time to go."

He said Hatton "need not come down hard on himself", saying Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jnr, who beat Hatton in the same ring 17 months ago, were "two of the greatest fighters to have laced gloves".

"Hatton was relentless himself at his best. He has compiled a fabulous career and put serious money in the bank. There is no point carrying on," McGuigan wrote.

"It won't ever undo the defeats of the past 18 months and he has no chance of avenging them at this stage."

Filipino southpaw Pacquiao captured a world title in his record-tying sixth weight class by taking Hatton's International Boxing Organization junior welterweight crown one second before the end of the second round.

A powerful left hand to the jaw sent Hatton to the canvas unconscious and on his back when referee Kenny Bayless ended the fight. Hatton fell to 45-2, his only prior loss to Floyd Mayweather Jnr in the same ring 17 months earlier.

Floyd Mayweather Snr, Hatton's trainer, said that after two devastating defeats, the "Hitman" should call it a day.

"I would suggest he retire. At the end of the day it's his decision," said Mayweather Snr. "He tried twice. He failed twice. He lost to my son and to lose to someone below that, it's time to leave the ring.

"He made a good profit. Sometimes you have to go when your prime is still there."

Mayweather Snr hinted that even if Hatton does continue fighting, he will never be the same after the punishing blow Pacquiao landed to finish him.

"A lot of times in boxing when a fighter gets knocked out - I'm not saying this particularly about Ricky - they are just not the same anymore," Mayweather Snr said.

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, even agreed with Mayweather on the subject after months of verbal sparring between the two.

"I like Ricky. He has a great work ethic," Roach said. "I would like to think he would think about retiring right now. He has got plenty of money."

Hatton, whose eight million-dollar take was four million less than Pacquiao's payday, was hospitalized after the fight as a precaution, but said, "It was a hard loss but I'm OK. I know I will be OK."

Lee Beard, who served as Hatton's assistant trainer, and Gareth Williams, Hatton's manager, distanced themselves from Mayweather Snr after the loss, saying he was a consultant brought in for 12 weeks.

Hatton praised Mayweather and the contribution he had made to his overall skills in the week before the fight.

After the fight, Mayweather blasted Hatton for failing to listen to his instructions during the fight.

"He should have kept his head down. That was the match," Mayweather said. "Defense. It's what I was preaching and preaching and preaching about. The defense I was telling him to do. Throw punches and keep your head back.

"Pacman just put him down. My instructions were to use the fade. Sometimes the fade can lure you into something. He didn't use the fade. Straight forward. He just went back to his old days.

"Now he has got to accept what happened."