Boxing: Hatton the Humble Hero Can Conquer Castillo and America

Thousands of fans followed Frank Bruno to Las Vegas for his two failed attempts to conquer Mike Tyson and big numbers always turned up in support of Lennox Lewis and Naseem Hamed. But if the anticipated 8,000 -10,000 British fans turn up at the Thomas and Mack Center tonight for Ricky Hatton's light-welterweight fight against Mexico's José Luis Castillo, that figure would represent the biggest single body of support ever to travel to the United States with a British boxer.

International footballers will rub shoulders at ringside with film stars such as John Travolta and Mickey Rourke but at the center of the commotion Hatton seemingly still rubs his eyes in disbelief.

Wayne Rooney and the Mexican boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera will carry in Hatton's IBO belt and another given by Ring magazine on what is sure to be an emotionally charged occasion but Hatton still seems genuinely baffled by the level of adulation coming his way as he says: "Sometimes I am amazed that half of these people have even heard of me, let alone that they want to come to my fight."

In 42 contests Hatton is undefeated and this is being seen as his most significant fight since his great victory over Kostya Tszyu. Quite conceivably he will be rigorously tested by Castillo, a big-punching former world lightweight champion. Castillo certainly believes he has been seriously underestimated and wrongly viewed as a declining fighter by the Hatton camp, a theory he says he is only too ready to disprove.

Importantly for Hatton and his promoters, Castillo has that valuable commodity of a major name within boxing circles and a Hatton victory would help him significantly as he tries to crack the US market to make him a more credible international draw card as well as a British cult figure.

"Of course, I always hoped I would get here," says Hatton. "Right from the beginning I wanted to test myself against the best, against real champions. My second pro fight was at Madison Square Garden, on the undercard of Naseem Hamed's fight against Kevin Kelley. And I remember George Foreman saying to me: 'If you keep training and working, you can be as good as him.' Now here I am in Las Vegas with my name up in lights.

"I seriously hope, though, that everybody thinks I am still the same lad from the council estate on the east side of Manchester. I never want to change or have anyone look at me and think I have become some kind of Charlie big bollocks. I may be a world champion but I'm still Ricky Hatton who plays darts with his mates down the pub."

A 90-minute documentary, to be screened by Setanta prior to the fight tonight, should be required viewing for anybody who might be deluded enough to believe this cloth-cap hero has moved away one iota from his roots. In a world where reality TV seemingly rules, it is an uproariously funny insight into the Hatton family with countless priceless moments that makes the Osbournes look about as funny as Songs of Praise in comparison.

"It's great to be talking to you. It's unusual for me to be in front of an audience without somebody trying to knock my teeth out," Hatton is seen telling a crowd at an engagement in what is becoming a rapidly developing second career as a stand-up comedian cum after-dinner speaker. In front of the microphone he is a natural and is as instantly likeable before a crowd as he is in a one-to-one situation.

Perhaps agents and managers who routinely mollycoddle and protect their precious assets in others sports might profitably watch and learn. Here is a lad with the confidence to answer any question, address any audience and simply be himself. It is very much a case of: "If people don't like it, tough." And the thousands who follow Hatton would surely agree this is the kind of sporting celebrity to whom they can genuinely relate.

Bob Arum, the veteran promoter who has been associated with such luminaries of boxing as Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler and Oscar De La Hoya, has coined some memorable one-liners over the years - once, when questioned by an alert hack over an inconsistency in a spiel, he replied: "Yesterday I was lying, but today I am telling the truth" - and he has been in top form this week.

Even though Castillo is his fighter, and he loyally says his man will win, Arum has again described Hatton as "boxing's best talker since Muhammad Ali and a breath of fresh air". Since Arum promoted "The Greatest" on 25 occasions, it is fair to say he speaks with authority. Likewise he knows what he is talking about when he says tonight's contest has got all the makings of a great fight.

"This is what boxing needs. Two men who are getting in the ring, who are going to test each other, lay it on the line and fight! People don't want two businessmen facing each other and getting out of the ring looking exactly the same as when the fight started. They want action," he said in a withering reference to the much-hyped recent Mayweather-De La Hoya contest.

Hatton listened and smiled on the podium, then took the microphone to thank Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all for the parts they played in the promotion, presented a bouquet to the widow of the late Diego Corrales, then ushered the British press away for yet another sit-down question and answer session, approached as enthusiastically as ever.

Hatton should win tonight and let us hope so. He is a class act and a delightful one-off.