Hatton: This is the best I've ever been

Ricky Hatton believes he is boxing better than he has ever done in his career heading into Saturday’s showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton takes a 45-1 (32 KOs) record into the light-welterweight fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and is unbeaten in the 140-pound division, his lone defeat coming at 147 pounds when he was stopped by Floyd Mayweather Jr in the same ring nearly 17 months ago.

The Las Vegas oddsmakers think he is heading for the second defeat of his career when he goes in against Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs), who is widely considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Hatton begs to differ, though, and claimed last night: “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.

“Technically I was back to my best in my last fight and that was after only seven weeks with my new team.”