Ricky Hatton believes Sky Box Office viewers will see a different fighter when he takes on Paulie Malignaggi.
Hatton thanks Mayweather Snr for confidence boost
Ricky Hatton believes
Sky Box Office viewers will see a totally different fighter when he steps into the ring against Paulie Malignaggi.
And the Hitman credits new trainer Floyd Mayweather Snr with restoring his confidence ahead of his Las Vegas clash with the New Yorker.
Hatton hired Mayweather Snr, who had previously trained both his son and Oscar De La Hoya, following a victory over Juan Lazcano in May that did little to convince he was still a force to be reckoned with.
The pair have been working together and the fruits of their labour are set to be unveiled at the MGM Grand on Saturday when Hatton defends his IBO light-welterweight belt against Malignaggi.
First, Hatton and Malignaggi come face to face on Friday for the weigh in which you can see live on
Sky Sports News from 10.30pm.
But before they meet, Hatton believes he already has the edge over his opponent thanks in no small part to the work of Mayweather Snr.
"When someone like Floyd says to me, 'you've picked this type of training up, the pad work, the slipping and rolling, quicker than anyone I've ever worked with', that fills you with confidence," said Hatton
"I needed to hear stuff like that because after the Mayweather fight (which Hatton lost) I was down in the dumps and I needed my confidence rebuilding with the Lazcano fight but I didn't get it because it was rubbish. I wasn't up to it.
"I know there were reasons, I had a chest infection and I hadn't done the majority of my training, but let's have it right, it wasn't a good performance.
"I needed this training camp and I needed to hear things like that from someone like Floyd, who's not someone who blows smoke up your backside, he doesn't have to with the people he's worked with.
Stamina
Now Hatton is just waiting for the first bell to sound.
"I'm jumping out my skin and want to get in there and do everybody proud again.
"My stamina and conditioning was pretty good in the first place but this has benefited me no end. I'm expecting people to see a new Ricky Hatton."
The Hitman believes he has left no stone unturned to make sure he is ready for Malignaggi.
"He presents a very difficult challenge," he added. "He's very fast, and has an awkward, tricky style when he roles off the ropes and likes to talk when he's in the ring apparently, but that's the kind of thing I've been working on with Floyd - not to lose my cool.
"He looks a bit of a 'ponce' to be honest but he's a lot tougher than he looks and he's a good fighter and to be honest he's not a bad lad when the cameras go off and the press disappears.
"But come November 22 he will be my sworn enemy and I really do believe I can be the first person to can stop him."
The Magic Man himself has spent much of the build-up attacking Hatton's style, constantly hitting out at his 'wrestling', and feels he has got away with too much in previous fights.
"He has no defensive ability so what he does is try to win the round by landing his punch and then grabbing you before you can answer back," said Malignaggi.
"Grabbing you behind your neck and holding you in place so that you can't slide away when you get underneath a punch, he does that. Then he hits you with the other hand. Just stuff like that.
"People say 'oh Ricky, he keeps getting broken up' but that's because he's holding. So sometimes there's a little bit of a double standard when Hatton fights.
"With (Jose Luis) Castillo it was a free for all. Kostya Tszyu was definitely a free for all. With Floyd (Mayweather) it was a little bit of back and forth but obviously Ricky does like his wrestling, maybe he feels like he has a career in MMA after he's done boxing."
