Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton arrives in America Friday

ByBoxing Press

Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton and his team—brother and fellow fighter Matthew, trainer Billy Graham, nutritionist Kerry Kayes, assistant trainer Lee Beard and agent Paul Speaks—will settle in Las Vegas Friday for his world welterweight championship mega-showdown against Floyd Mayweather, Saturday, December 8 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The bout will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View .

Team Hatton will travel on a non-stop flight Thursday from Manchester, England—the site of an intensive eight-week camp—to Las Vegas, where they where they will rent a house and use a local gym to finish final preparations for what will be the biggest fight of the British star’s career. The only reminders of home accompanying Hatton are photographs of his son and family that he keeps close as motivation for making his dream come true.

“I can’t wait to get to Las Vegas to finish training for my fight with Floyd Mayweather,” said Hatton. “I hope American sports fans who saw me on the first episode of HBO’s 24/7 got a chance to see that I’m a regular bloke and a peoples’ champion who will become theirs and the world’s champion when I beat Mayweather on December 8.”

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, and sponsored by Rock Star Energy Drink, Tecate Beer and Southwest Airlines, “UNDEFEATED” is headlined by the welterweight championship bout between Mayweather and Hatton plus an exciting televised undercard including Jeff Lacy vs. Peter Manfredo, Jr., Daniel Ponce De Leon against Eduardo Escobedo, and Wes Ferguson vs. Edner Cherry.

Closed circuit tickets, priced at $50, are still available and can be purchased at MGM MIRAGE properties’ box office outlets or by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. For MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay venues, tickets also are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-474-4000. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person and all seats are general admission.

The Mayweather vs. Hatton pay-per-view telecast beginning at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, has a suggested retail price of $54.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 61 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your Mayweather vs. Hatton fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

The HBO all-access series “MAYWEATHER/HATTON 24/7” debuts a new episode Sunday, Nov. 25 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. The four-part series, with unprecedented access, will chronicle the fighters’ preparations for the Dec. 8 super-fight at MGM Grand and will provide viewers with a compelling look at two extraordinary champions.

For more information on Mayweather vs. Hatton, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com.