****Interesting PBF V Hatton article****

When you are facing a man who has not lost in 38 fights, a man who has won six world titles at five different weights and is regarded the best boxer pound for pound on the planet, then you better have a decent gameplan.



Floyd Mayweather Jr has shown little weakness throughout his professional career and if Ricky Hatton wants to topple the Pretty Boy he will have to find an achilles heel many have failed to do in the past.

However if Hatton's team want some grounds for optimism they do not have to look far, as Mayweather was hardly impressive in his last fight against Oscar De La Hoya back in May.


De La Hoya set a quick pace closing down the ring with his excellent footwork and giving Mayweather little room to work. The Golden Boy scrapped and brawled his way to an early lead only for his ageing 34 year-old legs to let him down as the fight progressed.


In the end Mayweather was able to find space for his eye-catching counters and survived a split decision in Las Vegas. Hatton is confident this won't happen to him and his relentless work rate is the key to an upset victory.

"I'm very very good at moving in fast on my opponents, which I'm going to need with him (Mayweather) being so quick."


"I've got a very, very high work rate, he likes to back off to the ropes, sit there for long periods. My stamina is one of my best attributes. If he sits on those ropes he might not get off them again. That's the way I see it. But I've got to be very careful because he's such a wonderful fighter."

Hatton's view is backed up by his trainer Billy 'The Preacher' Graham, who is bullish after meeting Mayweather on the recent promotional tour for the fight. Hatton is notoriously strong at light-welterweight and Graham is certain that he will have the physical advantage, despite the fight being made at welterweight.


"I've always been comfortable that Ricky can beat anybody, including Floyd." Graham told skysports.com. "This tour has been hard work but I've enjoyed it, and the main thing I've enjoyed is that I've met Floyd in the flesh. I can tell you it's made me more confident if that's possible, more confident. I feel really good.

In Hatton's only previous bout at welterweight he looked lacklustre and came very close to defeat against Luis Collazo. By the final round he was exhausted after failing to bully a naturally bigger fighter. But Graham has no worries this will happen on December 8th.

"I've said all along that Ricky can still do welterweight and that's probably his ideal weight." continued Graham. "We won't come in heavier than what he normally fights at. Floyd's not a big guy, they're the same size. Physically he's not that imposing, he's not really that scary a fighter."


Brave words from Graham, but Hatton's trainer is determined he has Mayweather's number and is as excited about the fight as Ricky.


"I know how to handle Floyd Mayweather, Ricky's got the equipment to handle Floyd Mayweather I promise you."


Predictably Team Hatton's fighting talk is met by derision from Mayweather and his camp. They see no reason to worry about the Hitman and believe Hatton brings little to the table they have not already seen before.


"I'm not really worried about what his team say, we all know they cannot get in the ring and fight for him."


"Thirty eight opponents had a gameplan and all thirty eight came real short. There are only ten game plans you can have in the sport of boxing and out of the thirty eight guys I've faced I'm pretty sure I've seen it before."

Mayweather has fought pressure fighters before like Jose Luis Castillo and Carlos Baldomir. Castillo had his moments in both fights but more recently Baldomir was picked off at will and given a hurtful boxing lesson. Mayweather argues that Hatton will enter the ring with similar tactics but leave with the same result, a defeat.


"There talking about pressure, everyone's game plan is to keep a lot of pressure." continued Mayweather.


"You have to understand this Ricky Hatton can only fight one way, that's with his face, no special effects straight up and down. It's going to be one, two, three, easy money."


Hatton's strategy is also ridiculed by Mayweather's close friend and adviser Leonard Ellerbe. Like Mayweather he has heard confident predictions before and he is far from convinced by Hatton.


"We know what Ricky Hatton is bringing to the table," said Ellerbe.

"Ricky Hatton will see first and foremost he is fighting the best fighter in the whole world, the best fighter he has ever come up against. I don't care what Billy Graham says. There have been a lot of great trainers before him, Ronnie Shields, Freddie Roach, they have all said the same thing but it's still going to be the same result."

And as for drawing inspiration from De La Hoya's performance against Mayweather, Ellerbe does not think that is a good idea at all.


"Ricky Hatton wouldn't last three rounds with Oscar De La Hoya. He's not in the same category." continued Ellerbe.


"This is the first fight in the last few years where Floyd is fighting a guy who is actually naturally smaller than him. All you have to do is go back and look at the history, Zab Judah, same size, you saw what happened to him. Sharmba Mitchell, same size, you saw what happened to him."


Whether you believe Hatton's confidence or Mayweather's brash defiance, the result of December's fight will be decided in the next few months.


Hatton and his trainer will either formulate a master plan to dethrone Mayweather or he will become just another impressive name on the Pretty Boy's record.

 

Is Floyd underestimating Hatton, or is it just the way he talks??