Hatton v PBF: The experts' verdicts...

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Lennox Lewis (former undisputed heavyweight champion): "Ricky's got to go in there like a madman and, no doubt, he must go for an early win. Hatton has to rough him up, get Floyd up against the ropes and not give him room. Maybe then he can do it."

Barry McGuigan (World Boxing Hall of Fame inductee, Hell's Kitchen contestant): "Ricky will have to have the fight of his life on Saturday. Hatton is fighting in the States where they favour a USA win. So if it goes to points Floyd takes it. And I just hope referee Cortez allows him to get inside because that will be his best tactic. Mayweather has such brilliant hand speed and I think he'll be just too quick. But I'm worried he will use the referee and pickpocket the fight."

Oscar de la Hoya (six-time world champion, Grammy-nominated Latin pop star): "A lot of people are backing Floyd but a lot of people are going to lose money. Ricky relies on speed and power while bringing intelligent pressure to the ring. Floyd relies solely on speed. That difference will make itself known when they fight."

Roberto Duran (former four-weight world champion, only boxer to have fought in five different decades): ""Can Hatton beat Mayweather? Let me give you an example. A lot of people said that I couldn't beat Leonard, and I beat him. Who is Mayweather that he can't be beat? You tell me that? He's a great boxer but no boxer is unbeatable."

Emmanuel Steward (former trainer of, amongst others, Lennox Lewis, Naseem Hamed and Thomas Hearns; Rolls Royce collector): "Logic dictates that you have to go with Mayweather. Regardless of what some people may think, he's a fantastic fighter. He may talk and all that, but he's still a great fighter - a phenomenal fighter. Based on his talent and skill, I'm going with Floyd."

Ronnie Shields (former World Boxing Hall of Fame Trainer of the Year): "I think it will be a good fight. Hatton is such a good competitor and he comes to fight. But Floyd is in a class all by himself right now. I haven't seen a style that Floyd hasn't been able to handle."

Junior Witter (WBC light-welterweight title holder): "For British boxing, it would be a brilliant success (if Hatton won). He's up against it, he really is, but it would be brilliant if he could do it."

Clinton Woods (IBF light-heavyweight champion): "I think the only way for Ricky to win is to get forward and throw bunches and bunches of shots and just try to outwork him. Mayweather is going to try to run and not get hit like he usually does and then come back with his own clusters. But it's a tough one to call, it really is."

Joe Calzaghe (super-middleweight king): "Should Hatton use the fact people are writing him off as motivation then he has a chance. But Ricky has a chance. Mayweather won't like Hatton coming back for more and more. Ricky's a great body-puncher and he has the style to take Mayweather down a peg or two."