by David P. Greisman (photo by Chris Cozzone/FightWireImages)

Contrary to his professional namesake, this Hitman thrives when others aim for him.

As he set his sights for success, Ricky Hatton laid the groundwork for fame and fortune. All but four of his first 40 fights took place in the United Kingdom. Sixteen of those were within the borders of his native Manchester, all but three of which were in a ring inside that city’s M.E.N. Arena.

A darts-shooting, beer-swilling prospect kept those extracurriculars but majored in punching and mauling, growing into a contender and eventually a champion. He became a national name, a regional draw, a local hero. He became a star.

Hatton was promoted like boxers once were when the Sweet Science was nowhere near niche. He became Manchester’s third franchise, a man who could fill arenas and stadiums. And when he hit the States, he filled planes and hotels and, best of all, bank accounts.

With Hatton came hordes of supporters, crowds who flocked to weigh-ins and press conferences, who bought tickets by the thousands and brought songs and chants praising their man. They came to Las Vegas again and again, celebrating in victory and remaining there through defeat. When a hero who had never before let them down was felled, hurt and beaten, their song was a tribute to what he had done before and a promise to be there again.

“There’s only one Ricky Hatton.”

The Hatton Wonderland spanned both sides of the Atlantic. It filled a Manchester stadium in May for Hatton’s first appearance since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. It crossed the pond and ventured west to Vegas last week, echoing through a casino arena as he took out his top challenger, Paulie Malignaggi.

No matter where the ring, Hatton has proven his ability to draw friendly faces. That, in turn, attracts foes.

He and Mayweather earned millions upon millions for last year’s clash, from the live gate and the domestic pay-per-view gross to the lucrative proceeds from the international broadcast.

Not bad for someone who can be quite difficult to watch.

Hatton’s strategy intertwines punching with clutching and wrestling. It is far from aesthetically pleasing, yet his fans reward him more for his personality than for his performance. True to form, Hatton’s awkward style combined with that of Malignaggi this past Saturday for 11 rounds that were as rough on the eyes as they were on Malignaggi.

Nevertheless, Hatton’s appeal has made him the prophet of profit, the person to go to for a big fight and the requisite big payday.

Hatton reigns as the sole star at 140. But boxers lighter and heavier want shots at the Hitman.

Hatton is the rumored reward for the winner of next month’s mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao was long thought too small for Hatton; De La Hoya, too big. Yet Pacquiao and De La Hoya will face each other at welterweight, seven pounds north of Hatton’s division.

De La Hoya is reportedly already below the 147-pound limit. He is set to tip the scales at a weight he hasn’t seen at since early 2001. If he could make 140, it would be his first time that light in nearly 12 years.

That 140-pound mark is key if Hatton is to fight De La Hoya. Hatton’s two appearances at welterweight saw him undersized and overpowered in a win against Luis Collazo and the knockout loss to Mayweather.

Pacquiao started his career at 106 pounds but was only a teenager at the time. As he got older, bigger and better, he won titles in five weight classes, including a dominant stoppage of David Diaz in his first appearance at lightweight. That was in June, when Pacquiao showed he could rely less on being stronger and more on being faster. That is thought to be his strategy against De La Hoya and, potentially, Hatton.

Meanwhile, Zab Judah is set to return to 140 after several years at 147. Juan Diaz has long been rumored as likely to leap from l35 to take on Hatton. The lightweight and welterweight divisions are deep with big-name stars and touted prospects. Hatton could share the marquee with many of them rather than be the sole draw against capable but lesser-known fighters such as Timothy Bradley, Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres.

In recent decades, perhaps only De La Hoya has had the ability to fill arenas and sell pay-per-views no matter where he fought and whom he faced. Hatton’s supporters travel farther and sing louder. The money they bring means that as long as the Hitman fights on, others seeking a piece of that prize will join those fans in calling out Hatton’s name.

The 10 Count

1.  News that Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez will not go to war for a fourth time comes as selfishly disappointing but otherwise completely acceptable.

The two provided 25 rounds of stellar drama, three bouts packed in within 364 days. Marquez took the first and Vazquez won the second and third. That March rubber match was the last appearance for both. One could only ask for them to face each other again and again into perpetuity.

But Vazquez is recovering from an eye injury. Both are on the sideline for a well-earned rest. And how much more could we ask the two to give when there is other ground each can tread?

Vazquez, should he come back, has potential bouts against two sluggers who ply their trades two divisions below: Jorge Arce and Vic Darchinyan, both of whom have called him out. Arce and Darchinyan may end up facing each other soon. Perhaps the winner could make the leap from 115 to 122.

Marquez, who was once the top name at bantamweight, has shown he belongs where he is now, four pounds north at junior featherweight. The division has produced the past two fights of the year, with Vazquez-Marquez 3 a near-lock to make it three in a row. There are several attractive opponents out there for Marquez, be it Juan Manuel Lopez, Daniel Ponce De Leon or Jhonny Gonzalez.

2.  Throw into that group another name, Celestino Caballero, though the Panamanian may end up being avoided in favor of less awkward, less imposing figures.

Caballero drains his 5-foot-11 frame down to 122 pounds, a weight class in which he has won 11 straight. Those victories come over six current former world titlists, including, as of last week, Steve Molitor.

Caballero needed just four rounds to stop the previously undefeated Molitor, unifying two sanctioning-body belts in the process. He did so in Canada as he had done in Thailand, the United States and Venezuela, coming out victorious in hostile territory.

The bout was aired on Showtime, which has been fantastic in spotlighting the lower weight classes. Though there are other marquee match-ups available, hopefully the network can offer enough money to send another top fighter in headfirst at this tall drink of water.

3.  Boxers Behaving Badly: Former 160- and 168-pound titlist Steve Collins is on trial on charges he punched a bouncer at a Dublin stadium, according to the Irish Times.

Collins, 44, allegedly told the bouncer, “If you don’t know who I am, you will in a few minutes,” after not being allowed inside the stadium in June 2006. He is accused of hitting the bouncer in the face shortly thereafter.

Collins pleaded not guilty.

Collins captured a middleweight belt in 1994 and then jumped up one division in his next fight, outpointing Chris Eubank to capture a super-middleweight title. He defended it eight times, defeating Eubank again and beating Nigel Benn twice, and then retiring in 1997 following a victory over Craig Cummings.

Collins ended his career with 36 wins, 21 by way of knockout, and three losses.

4.  Boxers Behaving Badly update, part one: Another former super middleweight, albeit one much less accomplished, avoided jail time on charges that he punched the mother of his children, according to Britain’s East Anglian Daily Times.

Wayne Asker, 33, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm, but his four-month jail sentence has been suspended for a year. In the meantime, he will have to complete 40 hours of community service.

Asker was accused of punching the woman during an argument, leaving her with a cut under her eye and bruising on her cheek.

His career of sanctioned combat wasn’t tremendously successful: Asker won five, lost five and fought to one draw. His last appearance was in June 2003, a seventh-round knockout loss at the hands of some dude named Matthew Tait.

5.  Boxers Behaving Badly update, part two: Welcome back, Scott Harrison.

The troubled former featherweight titlist is in the papers again because, according to BBC News, he is temporarily out from behind bars while he appeals two of the sentences that landed him in jail: two months for a May attack on his girlfriend and a police officer, and another six months for driving drunk in late August.

Harrison, 31, is challenging the sentences and the judge’s decision to have them run consecutively, thereby extending his incarceration.

Harrison lost his license to box after an eventful 2006 that included multiple legal problems and reported struggles with alcohol and depression. He was suspended after failing to get his weight below 133 pounds for a title defense late that year against Nicky Cook.

Harrison last appeared in the ring in November 2005, when he outpointed Nedal Hussein. He has a record of 25 wins (14 by way of knockout), two defeats and two draws.

6.  What are the odds Harrison gets arrested again while out of jail?

7.  Dodgeball, an occasional update: One week after suffering its first loss of the season, Aim Low came back with a win that was never in doubt. Though the victory was marked by sloppy play, Aim Low started off with a 2-1 lead over Prime Target, growing that into a 6-2 final score and hopefully putting this group back on track with the playoffs around the corner.

Two games remain in the season. Arms are sore, but a spectacular finish is within sight. Team record: 4-1. This past week’s post-game beer of choice: Stella Artois.

8.  Two months ago I asked for James Kirkland to face Ricardo Mayorga by 2010. Instead, it appears as if Mayorga could end up meeting Alfredo Angulo early next year. With that in mind, here are three potential bouts for Kirkland (who scored an entertaining stoppage Saturday over Brian Vera): Joel Julio, John Duddy and Ronald Hearns. All of which would be perfect for a “Boxing After Dark” co-feature.

9.  Peter King’s Time Machine: The famous sportswriter behind Sports Illustrated’s “Monday Morning Quarterback” is a football expert. His grasp of boxing history isn’t quite as strong.

King had this excerpt in last week’s column: “Tony Romo’s a hero. Marion Barber’s the truth. Barber, down the stretch in Washington, looked like Alexis Arguello in the late rounds of those old fights against Aaron Pryor in the eighties, somehow finding a way and the burst and the stamina to make it to the first-down marker and bleed the clock further; he had 83 rushing-receiving yards in the fourth quarter against a defense that knew he was coming.”

One problem: Pryor knocked out Arguello twice, both times in the late rounds.

The excerpt was corrected by the next day.

10.  And that entry wouldn’t have been needed had my Redskins beat the Cowboys. Sigh.

David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. His weekly column, “Fighting Words,” appears every Monday on BoxingScene.com. He may be reached for questions and comments at fightingwords1@gmail.com