Grounded, loyal and honest. Adam Smith on his love for the family behind the fighter: Carol, Ray and Matthew Hatton.
"I'm just so on my game this time. They might have to hold me back," Ricky Hatton told me last week.
Maybe Billy Graham and Kerry Kayes have. A day was taken out of camp to sort out Ricky's visa in London but when I was in a closed training session this week, Hatton was going flat to the boards again and looking very sharp.
His speed of foot, balance, movement and delivery were sensational. I was seriously impressed. I don't feel they will overcook it; surely this is going to be a tremendous Hatton going into battle. The best he could possibly be. Only time will tell if that's good enough.
When Billy wasn't absorbing thudding hook after hook on the body belt, he was pacing up and down in his office.
Billy's got a job to do. Something he's been planning in his head for years. He's itching for this and he's getting impatient. He is smoking again. And so too in the corner was a lovely, warm recognisable figure.
"Do you mind if I light up as well Billy?"
"You're going to even if I say you can't." was the reply.
Carol Hatton is a no-nonsense, strong but infectious character with a wonderful sense of humour and a great heart. I am very fond of her.
"He looks well my Richard, doesn't he?" said his proud mum.
She towers over her husband Ray and their banter is refreshingly familiar even during a nerve-wracking time like this.
Admiration
Grounded, loyal and honest, they have brought up Ricky and Matthew brilliantly. And Carol is still not afraid to give them a clip round the ear if her boys misbehave.
I really like the Hattons and have huge admiration for Matthew, who while not as talented as his big brother, continues to ply his trade gallantly and aim towards a British title crack without any hint of jealousy.
They are really blood brothers, and Matthew joins Ricky on the big bill on December 8th. Matthew's girlfriend Jenna is also expecting a boy on February 13th. Ricky is very excited about becoming an uncle; Matthew is asking lots of questions about babies, while Jenna is worried that there will be another fighter in the Hatton line!
I feel like I've been growing up in the television business as they have been in the boxing world. I've known them all for years. So too has my wife Jo and my mum Veronica. The first thing that Ray, Carol, Ricky and Matthew always ask me is how my family are.
That is what makes them so down to earth and supportive; what makes Ricky so normal. As a commentator I can't afford to be biased and I have to call it as it is, but outside of our professions we will long be friends when all this is said and done.
Ricky told me this week that his girlfriend Jennifer has come down with a cold. Happens to most of us at this time of the year, but obviously that's extremely worrying for a fighter who can't afford to pick up any little sniffle before a match of this magnitude.
The hotel air conditioning was to blame for Ricky's cold in his fight with Juan Urango and they can ill-afford anything like that to happen again. Poor Jennifer, an increasingly important figure in the Hatton clan, was moved to the spare room at home and won't be flying to the States just yet!
Ricky has another big supporter, a bit of a secret weapon for this fight in new promoter Oscar De la Hoya. The Golden Boy drove Floyd Mayweather close in May, and strongly believes Hatton can pull this off with a stiff jab, combined with his usual fire and aggression.
De La Hoya
