Salivating over Hatton v Mayweather by Kerry Duffy Aug 15th 2007

The publicity machine has yet to fully grind into action but I am already counting down the days...Ricky Hatton vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. I cannot wait. Maybe I'm getting caught up in all the excitement, but something strange has come over me. I am quite possibly serious about forking out a ridiculous sum of money, money I can ill afford to part with, to go to Las Vegas and watch the fight. I say 'watch' the fight, as I'm sure with my meagre funds I will be in the furthest seats. That is, of course, if I am even lucky enough to get so far as purchasing a ticket. I mean, this is out of character. I am very much looking forward to the upcoming fight between Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler and I too considered making tracks to Cardiff to watch the fight, yet I ruled this venture out on the grounds that it was too far away and too much damn bother. Now look at me, surfing the internet with crazed eyes looking for some nugget of information regarding tickets to the other side of the world. Why? Why would I do something so ill-advised and full of folly as to spend what will probably be more than a month's wage on Ricky Hatton? Of course, I am easily impressed and am always quite gullible to the 'big fights', but really I think it is most probably the same reason some ten thousand people made the pilgrimage to Las Vegas when he dealt quite swiftly with Jose Luis Castillo in four rounds. Ricky Hatton is self-confessed 'man of the people' and quite patently retains the common touch, which enables him to remain accessible to his thousands of fans. If I passed him in the street, I would have no reservations whatsoever in approaching him; in fact I imagine he would be a most amiable fellow. I think Hatton himself is very conscious of his persona and is always at pains to say how he is still the same kid who grew up in the tough part of Manchester. But he is not. On December the 8th, we will know just how far Ricky Hatton has come. What makes it such a tasty fight? It is a fight Hatton has always wanted; reading his autobiography you can practically see him salivating at the prospect, such is his enthusiasm. Mayweather on the other hand, appears characteristically nonchalant about everything but his own prowess, the beer belly he was once threatening to punch, will be long gone once Hatton steps into the ring with him. 'Undefeated'. That is the headline for this sporting spectacle. Undefeated and all that comes along with that word is why people like me are behaving out of character and being silly with money. These men are born winners and the thought of losing is anathema to both, which should make for a thrilling fight. They will be fighting to the max to retain their record, pride and reputation. On the night Hatton will be unleashing years of desire and if he keeps his head and fights his fight, then I think he will achieve everything he knows he can. (Gosh, I'm nearly salivating at the prospect, now!) I'm sure ol' big mouth will do his best to intimidate, irritate and belittle Hatton throughout the publicity tour, but if he's stupid enough to arrive in a ring dressed as a gladiator then he might be fool for anything, in any case I don't think Ricky needs any encouragement whatsoever in his pursuit of glory, let alone a mouthful of bile from Mayweather. It is, of course, absolutely wonderful to see one of our fighters waving the British flag so successfully in the big U S of A, and making the truly big fights happen, which is why, I and thousands like me, will gladly part with our hard earned money to cheer Ricky Hatton on.

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