Boxing/Floyd Mayweather v Ricky Hatton:Ricky Hatton is adamant his warrior instinct will prevail when the battle to be crowned undisputed pound-for-pound world champion finally starts at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas tonight.
After months of hype, Hatton will seek to score a historic victory by steamrolling a proud, unbeaten champion, Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather, to defeat.
All week Hatton has held the upper hand in the inevitable mind games and as the storm clouds began rolling in above Las Vegas yesterday, the odds on victory for the "Hit Man" continued to shorten.
Hatton said: "This is what it's been all about from day one. Nerves are obviously going to kick in but if Floyd thinks I'm going to crumble on the biggest stage of my career so far, it's not going to happen.
"I have more respect for Floyd than any other fighter I've fought. He's the fastest fighter in the world and the pound-for-pound number one. There's a lot to admire but nothing to say I should step back and be scared of this guy.
"I think I know what he's up to. He'll try to stay out of the way and when he gets tired he'll try to sit inside and make me miss and get a breather that way. But I don't think he particularly thinks I'm as good as I am."
Mayweather has shrugged off the small matter of tactical issues; he says he seldom watches videos of his opponents, but believes he has spotted a major weakness in Hatton, one he intends to expose in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Other than that, the unbeaten superstar from Grand Rapids is willing to put his continued ascendancy down to divine intervention. He believes he will reign untouchable for as long as he wishes to lace on gloves.
"You have superstars and mega-superstars, that's the difference," said Mayweather. "You can go to school and learn to be a great actor. You can't do that with boxing. It's God-given ability."
Hatton is the underdog but he is no hopeless underdog. He may be right when he says his biggest chance of defeat is if he cuts. And he believes he has the tools and tenacity to win on points, and shock the world.WBC Welterweight title fight:
