By Mark Vester
Leonard Ellerbe, adviser of WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., told UK media outlet The Mirror, that fans are coming to MGM Grand on Dec. 8 to see Mayweather, and not challenger Ricky Hatton. Ellerbe is tired of people saying that Hatton is the draw, and was irked by comments made by the Hatton camp, which stated that Mayweather would have 33 supporters to Hatton's 33,000. Ellerbe says that Hatton is only a popular fighter in the UK.
"It makes me sick to the stomach when people say Hatton is the draw," said Ellerbe. "He may have 30,000 fans in Vegas on the week of the fight. But guess what, they're coming to see Floyd. They had unlimited access to Hatton's fights in the US before so why didn't they come? Hatton has a big name, but it's only in the UK. What he brings to the table is that he has a tremendous draw in the UK and he's a very good fighter."
"We're not going to take that away from him and UK fans are among the most knowledgeable in boxing. We're happy he's bringing 30,000 Brits with him, but they're coming to see Floyd Mayweather."
Close to 10,000 fans came to see Hatton fight Jose Luis Castillo at Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Center in June, but Ellerbe told the paper that most of them came to see Castillo.
"Castillo has been around forever," he said. "He has a name, particularly among the Hispanic community, but also in boxing in general. That fight illustrates where this kid Hatton is relative to Floyd."
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