Ricky Hatton and Manny Pacquaio ready for big fight

Ricky Hatton has fired a warning shot at Manny Pacquiao ahead of their super-bout in Las Vegas by saying: "I'm the best I have ever been". The Hitman takes a 42-1 (32 KOs) record into the light-welterweight fight at the MGM Grand and is unbeaten in the 140lbs division, his only defeat coming at 147lbs when he was stopped by Floyd Mayweather Jr in the same ring nearly 17 months ago. But while Las Vegas bookmakers think he is heading for a second defeat against the Pacman (48-3-2, 36 KOs), Hatton thinks that the technical skills he has added to his arsenal under new trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr will see him victorious by the final bell. The Mancunian said: "This is the best Ricky Hatton's ever been. "I haven't lost too many rounds at junior welterweight, never mind fights, because I've been too strong. "But it's not just about 'the strongest man wins' in a boxing match. Other elements come into it, technical things, the game plan, things like that." He added: "Technically I was back to my best in my last fight and that was after only seven weeks with my new team. "I think the difference between my last training camp and this one is night and day, technically." Hatton said he realised his brawling style was not going to be enough to beat the best boxers in the world after he was humbled by Mayweather Jr in December 2007. That said, Hatton assured fans he was not leaving behind his aggression, nor would he be reverting to his less disciplined brawling style. He said: "I am a pressure fighter. You couldn't say for the Pauli Malignaggi fight that I resorted back to the old Ricky Hatton. "Everybody thinks because of my new trainer that I've turned into this twinkled-toed jab-and-move boxer. I haven't."

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ITN | April 30, 2009

Tags:. .malignaggi. .toed. .pauli. .mancunian. .twinkled