Mayweather demolishes Gatti for title

RICKY HATTON hailed light-welterweight rival Floyd Mayweather as “pure class” after the American star captured the WBC crown from Canadian tough guy Arturo Gatti in Atlantic City.

The 28-year-old Mayweather, touted as a future opponent for Britain’s 140lb kingpin, produced a masterclass to force Gatti to retire on his stool at the end of the sixth round.

Mayweather, already a former world champion at super-featherweight and lightweight, dominated from the outset with his superior hand speed.

Gatti was floored by a left hook in the first round while his hands were dropped as he complained about a previous blow on the break.

The challenger then dazzled his opponent with stinging shots from both hands to leave Gatti marked up around both eyes by the end of the third.

Gatti, renowned as one of the bravest ring warriors of recent years, tried to push forward but was mercilessly picked off by Mayweather’s precision counters. Mayweather just could not miss the target as he turned up the heat in the sixth and Gatti’s camp wisely waved the contest over before the start of the seventh.

Hatton was at ringside to witness Mayweather’s triumph and, speaking on Sky Sports’ Big Fight Special, admitted he had been impressed.

“You have to say that was absolutely masterful what he did there,” said the 26-year-old from Manchester, holder of the IBF title after beating the great Kostya Tszyu earlier this month. “Arturo Gatti is obviously no mug, but that’s just what Mayweather made him look like. He just seemed in a completely different league.

“I’ve said all along, even before my win over Kostya Tszyu, that I’m scared of fighting nobody and that hasn’t changed, I’ll still fight anybody.

The build-up to the fight had been marred by some unsavoury comments from Mayweather, but the new champion was quick to pay tribute to Gatti, claiming he had merely been trying to boost ticket sales. Of his victory, Mayweather added: “All I did was take my time, listen to my corner, not get too big-headed and stay focused.”

And after taking his professional record to 34-0, with 23 of those wins coming inside the distance, Mayweather said: “I’ll leave it up to my promoters who I fight next, but if me and Ricky Hatton could get it on at Madison Square Garden, that’s what I’d like to do.”

All did not go to plan for another possible Hatton foe, however, as Colombia’s Carlos Maussa pulled off a sensational upset when claiming the WBA light-welterweight title with a seventh-round knockout of Guyana’s Vivian Harris. Maussa was caught with heavy shots early on but Harris faded badly and was eventually sent to the canvas after a solid left hook.