Mayweather Throws Barbs at Hatton

World welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather described Ricky Hatton as a "one-dimensional fighter" when they met face-to-face at the O2 Arena in London as part of a world tour to publicize their fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 8.

"I fought all the best. There's nobody in the history of boxing who's won six world titles in five weights in eight years," boasted WBC champion Mayweather, who is widely hailed as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. "He comes one way. Hook to body, hook to head. A one-dimensional fighter doesn't beat Floyd Mayweather."

Tickets for the contest sold out in less than half an hour, the match between two undefeated fighters sparking massive worldwide interest with 167 countries showing television coverage.

Mayweather, 29, who has not lost in 38 fights, added: "Hatton must realize he's not fighting Kostya Tszyu, who was somebody two years over the hill. He's not fighting Jose Luis Castillo, who was over the hill when he fought Hatton. He's been matched up real well, but he's never been in with a fighter like Floyd Mayweather."

The two fighters posed for the cameras facing each other, with Hatton laughing in the American's face as Mayweather whispered threats and profanities into his ear. Afterwards, Mayweather claimed Hatton is not confident, saying: "The eyes don't lie. He don't believe in himself."

But Hatton scoffed at the suggestion. "What he was saying is the biggest load of nonsense and crap, and he's been keeping it up all week. He gives me no respect whatsoever, but let's say it's not keeping me awake at night.

"All week he's been saying I've been fighting has-beens. But I have studied him closely and I think Floyd, when he has some quiet time, must know he's in for a hell of a hard fight. He's the sort of person who surrounds himself with minders and people saying, 'You're great'. I've never had a minder in my life. It's just not me. I look at him and think, I can't wait for the fight to come. I respect him for what he's achieved, but this sport is about going in there and believing you are going to do it. I have studied him, and I believe I will win."

Hatton, 28, has already been training for two weeks and has begun to shed the weight he habitually piles on between fights. He will be back in the gym where he normally works in Denton, Greater Manchester, next week and predicts he will be in the best condition of his life by the time of the fight.

"I'm a big believer that 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'," said Hatton. "Me and my trainer Billy Graham have studied Mayweather's style for years. He is a brilliant boxer, and I don't want to give too much away here but I believe that I know how he can be beaten."