Ricky Hatton pulled out all the stops at a raucous UK press conference before squaring off with Floyd Mayweather 17 years ago today.
The pair exchanged countless barbs ahead of their iconic encounter for the WBC world welterweight strap, putting on a captivating spectacle at a packed-out MGM Grand.
Mayweather, of course, was a sizable favorite, but with Hatton making his debut at 147 lbs, there was always a belief from British fans that he could cause a monumental upset.
And sure enough, the widely celebrated ‘Hitman’ brought with him over 30,000 loyal supporters to wreak havoc on the streets of Las Vegas ahead of his career-defining night.
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Ricky Hatton steals the show at hilarious press conference
During the build-up to their showdown, both Hatton and Mayweather – two polar opposite characters – had certainly captured the imagination of boxing fans.
On the one hand, you had the bravado of Mayweather: a flashy, audacious and unapologetic showman, having seemingly made the transition from ‘Pretty Boy’ to ‘Money’ following an astronomical rise in earning potential.
But, on the other hand, you had a vastly different approach from Hatton, someone who – perhaps best described as a working class hero – has a story that resonated perfectly with the British public.
And so, when the pair came face-to-face in the Mancunian’s back yard, Mayweather was predictably greeted with a bear pit of an atmosphere.
It was Hatton, though, who ultimately stole the show, catching his opponent out with several quick-witted remarks.
“I’ve missed my son, my six-year-old son, but I probably haven’t missed him quite as much as you would think because I’ve had the misfortune to spend the full week with another f***ing six-year-old,” he said at their press conference.
“Floyd’s gonna run away all night – he says he isn’t, but he is – he’s gonna run away all night and I know I’m gonna have to be fast on my feet to catch him. So I’ve got two wonderful sparring partners coming in – Forrest Gump and Carl Lewis.”
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Floyd Mayweather stops Ricky Hatton in the tenth round
Unfortunately for Hatton, he swiftly discovered that it would take more than just a few sharp comments to topple one of the greatest fighters of all time.
After the first few rounds, it was clear that Mayweather had established his range and rhythm, catching the Brit with a sequence of clean combinations at long-range
That said, Hatton was never given the opportunity to fully implement his game plan, with referee Joe Cortez breaking the two combatants up whenever they exchanged blows at close quarters.
In the end, however, the frustrated bruiser left himself exposed to a pulverizing left hook from Mayweather, who then went on to put his lucrative $25 million purse to shame with a series of far greater paydays.