By Mark Vester

In a recent interview conducted by BoxingScene's Tim Smith in his NY Daily News Column, Leonard Ellerbe, the adviser of Floyd Mayweather, Jr., said that if Ricky Hatton really wants to fight Floyd, all he needs to do is sign the contract.

Ellerbe said the trash talking games are over, Mayweather is tired of Hatton always taking shots at him in the press, and says the two sides can get together and make the fight this week. Hatton has been baiting Mayweather with comments in the press for the last few years, and the baiting appears to have finally paid off.

"He got Floyd's attention. Now we're calling his bluff," Leonard Ellerbe said. "All he has to do is make a deal and he'll have his chance to back up all that talk. All that's standing between him and Floyd is air and opportunity. We can make the deal this week. He's very, very disrespectful. He's trying to promote himself off Floyd's name. When we make the deal we'll show the world why he's the most overrated fighter of this decade. Floyd has never taken any fight personally. But he's taking this personally. Floyd is going to kick his butt."

Ellerbe said that Team Mayweather was far from impressed by Hatton's recent fourth-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo at the Thomas and Mack Center. Following the win, Hatton took another verbal jab at Mayweather.

"He said he only wants to fight the best - then sign the contract. Floyd's going to show all his fans in Britain just what a phony he is," Ellerbe said.

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com