Ricky Hatton admits his frustration at failing to land a meaningful world title shot has caused his standards to slip.

But Hatton intends to refocus and produce one of his career-best performances when he defends his title against American Mike Stewart in Manchester on Friday night.

At stake for Hatton is a position as leading contender for the IBF title - due to be contested between Kostya Tszyu and Sharmba Mitchell on November 6.

And after below-par performances against Dennis Holbaek Pedersen and Wilfredo Vilches, he knows he cannot afford to take Stewart lightly as he nears the big prize.

Hatton said: "There is a big incentive for me and I know I am feeling better than in my last two fights.

"I think I've been going into fights with the frame of mind that I just want to get this one out of the way.

"I think technically I've slipped. I sat down with my trainer Billy Graham and watched the fights on video.

"He said I'd been fighting as if I knew those kids were not good enough, and I'd forgotten the things that set me apart from the rest."

Both Hatton and Stewart weighed in under the 10stone light-welterweight limit at the first time of asking on Thursday, with Hatton scaling nine stones 13 and a quarter and Stewart a mere half-pound heavier.

Hatton's defence will be his 14th and he craves a crack at the big time denied him by previous contractual wrangles with the likes of Mitchell and WBA champion Vivian Harris.

After his career-best display beating Ben Tackie in December last year, late withdrawals have forced him into a low-key 2004.

But he added: "Everybody who stood up at the Tackie fight and said it was a performance and a half will be saying the same thing again.

"On Friday you are going to see the performances you saw 12 month ago. I'm a perfectionist and I've got my focus back."

Stewart brings a reputation as an exciting fighter but one unlikely to unduly trouble the champion.

The 26-year-old from Delaware fought on Hatton's undercard in April, floored three times on the way to a points defeat against Mitchell.

He has won 36 of his 40 professional fights but only 20 of those victories have come inside the distance.

While Hatton starts a massive favourite he insists his rediscovered desire will not allow him to look beyond towards Tszyu or Mitchell.

Hatton said: "This might be an eliminator for the title but the winner of Tszyu and Mitchell has not even crossed my mind yet."

Michael Gomez defends his WBU super-featherweight title on the undercard against Russia's Leva Kirakosyan.