In the context of journalistic ethics, objective coverage of ones subject is the only way to go. It's no different for those who choose to cover the sweet science, but damn if some fighters don't elicit some sort of silent cheering within the souls of their being. Ricky Hatton is once such fighter. The Manchester icon's humble affable persona and sharp wit makes it hard not to root for him to pull off a monumental upset victory over pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. this Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Hatton is the type of fighter who not only humbly obliges any autograph requests, but is willing to share a pint or two of Guinness and talk about the direction his beloved Manchester City football club needs to take to win the cup. It's this type of "everyman" persona that has endeared him to the hearts of his countrymen and to boxing fans the world over.
"I don't lie about a single thing. People say, do you like to have a drink of alcohol and I say yes, yes, of course I love to. And do you like fat foods, yes. And do you put weight on, yes. And, these people are maybe a little bit more vain, would probably not admit to that, and I do. And I think with what you see with me, you see an honesty in my life; the way I am period," Hatton would tell an assorted group of media on a recent conference call. "There's honesty in the way I train and prepare for me fights and I'd like to think Ricky Hatton is more of the whole package to him. He's not just; my fan base isn't just because of the way I fight. It's the way I am and the way I act and I think it portrays me, to be exactly what I am; just a normal kid doing very well at what he does."
Hatton is a sharp contrast to the flashy, braggart bravado that encompasses Floyd Mayweather Jr. Mayweather may be at the top of this sport and he'll make sure to remind anyone within earshot of that fact. It's no secret that Floyd is a tremendous boxer, his skills are uncanny and he is undefeated. Hatton will have an uphill battle to even make this fight competitive and in talks with the media, as well as the riveting HBO 24/7 documentary, his focus and desire are palatable.
Mayweather seems unfazed by the hoopla surrounding Hatton's words, perhaps because he has heard it all before, a fact he referenced on his recent conference call with the media. "Thirty-eight said they were going to keep pressure. Thirty-eight said they had an interesting gameplan. Thirty-eight had great trainers. You must realize, trainers can't get in there and fight for fighters. A fighter must go in there, execute the gameplan and just better be in the best shape. If you plan on doing it, you've just got to be in the best shape of your life and bring you're A game 'cause I'm always prepared mentally as well as physically."
The odds are justifiably stacked in Mayweather's favor, especially as this fight is taking place at welterweight. Hatton, who's the undisputed world junior welterweight champion, has had only one fight north of his weight class and looked unimpressive against slick boxer Luis Collazo. He shrugs off such concern citing the fact that he was not in proper shape at the time of the battle. This go around, he claims to be properly motivated and ready for such a daunting task.
"I think I know what Floyd is up to tactically. He's got wonderful defense, you know, and defense has been the first after the fight, you know, usually speed, and his defense and making you miss and, you know, and I think its like he would like his opponents to punch themselves out or try and punch themselves out. He likes them to waste as many punches and he tends to try and come on a little bit down the final straight, that type of thing, but I think I know what he's up to tactically," Hatton would state.
"I intend to put the pressure on him right from the start. Don't waste a great deal of punches in the first six rounds, you know. Leave plenty of gas in the tank for the last six rounds. But I think with me being, you know, the smaller man, if you like a little bit, you know, I think me speed will and me footworkÂ…I'm very fast at moving in on me opponents. I have no doubt, you know, as fast he goes back, I'll move forward just as fast. But, and he likes to drop the shoulder and show you, you know, show you the shoulder, so I think what you've got to do, you've got to come at him at different angles, you know, because he goes at his side and drops his shoulder and tries to give you nothing to punch at. And I think to counter that, his movement and angles and moving in quick, speed, lots of left hand work. I think I know what he's up to, but, you know, I won't be leaving him alone from start to finish"
While that is all well and good, the fact remains that he must put into practice such tactics on December 8th against a man who has yet to taste defeat. Hatton, himself, brings with him an unblemished record and with that, a cocksure attitude that no man can defeat him. It is little wonder as to why the promoters agreed on naming this battle "Undefeated". Neither fighter want's to lose that precious "0" as Hatton expounds, "well, I mean a defeat doesn't finish your career. I think fighters through history have shown that, but, it is nice to have that unbeaten one. It's for your marquee value, obviously financially, being unbeaten, especially when you've got long unbeaten runs like me and Floyd, so it is important. It's not the be all and end all. I mean, fighters have got beat and come back to be better fighters, so it isn't the be all and end all, but, yes, it is important if you're a fighter and a fighter in your heart it's pride, knowing that you've never been, you've never tasted defeat."
Pride is the underlying theme here. Mayweather's pride was hurt after Hatton's disparaging remarks following his fight with Jose Luis Castillo. Hatton is fighting for the pride of not only himself, but for every man who inhabits Manchester.
States Mayweather, "Before I leave, I just wanted to beat the best British fighter out there, well, one of the best British fighters because if I had to say, what's the other kid's name who fightsÂ…he's the best British fighter, probably one of the best I ever seen. I mean, I'm fighting because I'm a business man. I got no fake answer. If the price is right, let's make it happen. If the price is right, we're going to make it happen. I'm like Bob Barker. Come on down."
Hatton responds, "I mean, Floyd is a number one fighter pound-for-pound on the face of the earth and I respect him and I've never said anything other than that. But, if, you know, I don't, I still, even with all his titles and everything he's won and everything he's achieved, I still don't think he's the draw in this fight. I think this will be an exceptional fight. It'll be a hugely exceptional and exciting fight, but I only think because I'm in it. I think I make the fight."
One thing is for certain, these two combatants are coming to win.