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Today at Billy ‘The Preacher’ Graham’s Phoenix Camp Gym in Manchester, England, members of the media gathered for the final attended training and interview session before Team Hatton fly out to Las Vegas next week ahead of the much anticipated fightnight billed as ‘Undefeated’ where ‘The Hitman’ faces ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather on December 8.
The gym soon became packed with photographers and film crews cramming for a spot around the ring. The three American sparring partners for Matthew and Ricky Hatton arrived ahead of ‘The Hitman’. They would also be training in the gym today. Two of the American men, Karl Dargan and Rock Allen, are fighting on Saturday in Atlantic City.
Billy Graham arrived last, I don’t think he likes all the pre-fight media hype, and didn’t look too keen on getting into the ring as it was surrounded by photographers!
Ricky and Matthew both got into the ring. Ricky was wearing a sweat suit and t-shirts. Both men began to shadow-box around the ring until Billy joined them, then Matthew looked in great form as he worked the pads with Billy.
Once Ricky was warmed up sufficiently, he took his sweat-suit off and Billy donned the huge black padded body-belt. Ricky pounded away at the belt around Billy – working in flurries of shots, then walking away and back again.
Ricky was in his usual jokey manner and taking a gulp of water, he splashed photographers nearby and everyone laughed. Later he did the same thing but deliberately wet the groin area of the regular Sky Sports cameraman who was filming – this caused howls of laughter! After that, we were a bit more careful to keep an eye out when he took water!
Ricky’s punches were hard and powerful; you could feel the blows as they sank in to the padded belt. Shouting out with every blow to release the energy, he seemed quicker than ever, snapping the punches, digging in the hard trademark body crunchers and fast and nimble on his feet.
Now and again, the Hitman would push Billy back against the ropes and ‘The Preacher’ would smile. At one point, Ricky threw a barrage of punches at Billy’s body then yelled at him: “Now fuck off!” before flouncing off and everyone laughed again (including Billy).
The gym was absolutely steaming hot by this time. The windows (which had to be kept shut) and the mirrors were misted and dripping condensation.
Next Ricky moved on to the punch-bags, hitting hard and dodging in and out.
Back in the ring, he was joined by Kerry Kayes. “Let’s work with the medicine ball,” Ricky said to Kerry and as Kerry came back with the ball, Ricky said, “No, fetch me the bigger one.” Getting back in to his sweatsuit and a couple of t-shirts, the Hitman held out the front of his trousers,“You too can look like this on the Slimfast diet” he laughed.
Kerry, armed with the bigger medicine ball, stepped into the ring. Kerry then ‘shoved’ the ball repeatedly into Ricky’s torso – and Ricky bounced himself against the ball; I can’t imagine the blows that must be achieving to the stomach!.
They did this many times and Ricky jibed that Kerry was feeling it worse than him and started to fan Kerry down a bit! “Your turn, Kerry” – one of the photographers shouted! “He doesn’t look bad for 73 does he?” Ricky replied.
Ricky then moved on to the weight machines out in the Betta Bodies Gym before returning to the gym for interviews.
When asked about Mayweather, Billy told reporters “We’ve got the tactics to beat him!”
