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It seems linear junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton may have a future in the world of international espionage when he finally hangs up the gloves. During his Tuesday afternoon media workout at the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas, the Hitman wowed his camp members by somehow deciphering the cunning disguises of two Juan Urango team members who were doing a spot of clandestine reconnaissance.
“For a moment I really didn’t know who these two guys were, standing in the shadows behind all the media,” Hatton said. “They had us all fooled for a minute- and nearly escaped with the secrets to beating Ricky Hatton.”
Or maybe not…
“They stuck out like sore thumbs, actually,” laughed the Hitman. “But I wasn’t bothered they were there at all. It wasn’t like I were sparring or working on any special technique or nothing like that. This week is just about fine-tuning, making the weight and putting the fuel in to go 12 hard rounds if necessary on Saturday night. Urango’s spies won’t have seen me doing anything I am sure they won’t have seen me do a million times on DVD already.”
At one point between rounds on the target pads, Hatton jokingly asked the gathered press photographers to step aside, lest they block off the sightlines of the interested observers from Team Urango.
“The only thing they will be able to report back is that I am in shape and throw a lot of shots to the body,” Hatton said. “But anyone who has ever seen me fight knows that anyway.”
The Hitman said the IBF/IBO showdown at the Paris Hotel will ultimately come down to simply who is the better fighter.
He said: “Urango is a very good fighter, a real world champion and he’s got some real power in his wide hooks. But I think maybe I’ve proved myself a little bit better than an “average’ world champion – if there is such a thing – and that little bit extra class will be the difference.”
Hatton added: “Me at my best beats the best of Urango. If I box to the best of my ability, I should win this.”
And Hatton now has that winning feeling after not only winning $2000 at the tables earlier this week but – finally – having beaten brother Matthew at pool.
Hatton explained: “Matthew and me are sharing a suite and he’s been murdering me at the pool table. Good job we were only playing for a dollar a time because he won something like 20 games last week. He cleaned me out and it were looking a bit sick, but now I’ve got a few wins back.”
But “Magic’ Matthew countered: “I let him win. I couldn’t keep kicking his arse this close to a world title fight. I let Rick have his confidence back – I’m a good brother like that, you see.”
Joking aside, the younger Hatton also has his hands full as he steps up in class at the Paris Hotel this weekend.
Matthew said: “I’m fighting Frank Houghtaling over 12 rounds.
“It is my first 12 rounder and I can’t wait for it. I am really, really looking forward to it.
“I’ve seen three of his fights on tape, including the one with Sharmba Mitchell. Mitchell cracked him with every shot in the book and he took it no problem.
“He’s very fit, too, even in the last round he’s throwing three, four shots at a time. I think it will be really good fight. I feel very strong for this fight, very fit, and I think I’ll take over in the middle rounds.”
Hatton Junior’s fight is on first – around 5pm local time – so the Hatton brothers have the chance to be ringside cheering for each other.
