Lewis tells Hatton to go in hard at Floyd

LONDON – Former world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis said on Sunday Ricky Hatton needs to “go in like a madman” if he is to beat Floyd Mayweather in next weekend’s hugely-anticipated welterweight title clash in Las Vegas.

“The favourite is obviously Floyd because of the fact that he’s got good boxing style, he is very quick, he’s got movement,” the Briton told BBC radio on Sunday. “Nobody really can catch up with him and nobody has really figured out the puzzle surrounding him, how to beat him.”Hatton really has to rough him up, put him against the ropes and beat him up,” he said.”Beat him up, then hurt him so he’s not able to dance around the ring and get away from his shots.”I expect Floyd to win by a point, Ricky Hatton to win by a knockout.”He’s got to really impose his will, go in like a madman in there and really go at him.”World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title holder Mayweather, a six-times champion in five different weight classes, is hailed as the world’s best boxer pound-for-pound.The American is 38-0 while the hard-hitting Briton Hatton is 43-0 and Saturday’s fight at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino is the biggest match-up of undefeated welterweights since Oscar de la Hoya and Felix Trinidad clashed in 1999.Hatton is confident he can pull off what many would consider an upset victory.”I am 200 percent going to do it.I will put every penny I have in the bank on me winning this fight,” the Manchester ‘Hitman’ told the BBC.”I really do think he’s going to have to kill me for me to leave him alone for a split second.That controlled aggression from the heart is just going to destroy him, I think.”Hatton said his training camp had gone perfectly, he was relaxed and just treating it like any other fight.”Past records go for nothing.I don’t look at all the titles he’s won, the names he’s beat.I just put the video in to see what his strengths and weaknesses are and have I got what it takes to do it.I believe that I have.”Nampa-Reuters”Nobody really can catch up with him and nobody has really figured out the puzzle surrounding him, how to beat him.”Hatton really has to rough him up, put him against the ropes and beat him up,” he said.”Beat him up, then hurt him so he’s not able to dance around the ring and get away from his shots.”I expect Floyd to win by a point, Ricky Hatton to win by a knockout.”He’s got to really impose his will, go in like a madman in there and really go at him.”World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight title holder Mayweather, a six-times champion in five different weight classes, is hailed as the world’s best boxer pound-for-pound.The American is 38-0 while the hard-hitting Briton Hatton is 43-0 and Saturday’s fight at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino is the biggest match-up of undefeated welterweights since Oscar de la Hoya and Felix Trinidad clashed in 1999.Hatton is confident he can pull off what many would consider an upset victory.”I am 200 percent going to do it.I will put every penny I have in the bank on me winning this fight,” the Manchester ‘Hitman’ told the BBC.”I really do think he’s going to have to kill me for me to leave him alone for a split second.That controlled aggression from the heart is just going to destroy him, I think.”Hatton said his training camp had gone perfectly, he was relaxed and just treating it like any other fight.”Past records go for nothing.I don’t look at all the titles he’s won, the names he’s beat.I just put the video in to see what his strengths and weaknesses are and have I got what it takes to do it.I believe that I have.”Nampa-Reuters