By Mark Vester

Junior welterweight Ricky Hatton admits that only three or four fights ago, pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao would have beaten him. That was then and this is now. Hatton feels that he improved over his last three or four fights, and the addition of trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. will seal the deal on his victory over the Pacman on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"Three or four fights ago, Manny Pacquiao would have beaten me," Hatton said. "I don't think so now. I feel so much more relaxed because I'm boxing technically so much better. I'm jabbing and moving a lot better."

"Everyone seems to think that because of my new training camp I've turned into this twinkle toed jab-and-move boxer. But I haven't. I'm still aggressive. I'm still as ferocious as ever."

Hatton still believes that his power and size advantage will be the key. He says Pacquiao has been hurt several times in lower weight classes and never felt the power of a true junior welterweight.

"He's not fought anyone as ferocious and as powerful as me, and along with the technical side that I showed glimpses of in my last fight, I think it's going to be enough," Hatton said. "I respect Manny but should I really be scared of a fight with a man who's had only two fights above 130 lbs?"

"Manny's been hurt several times in the past, head shots and body shots, in smaller weight classes. And I haven't even lost too many rounds at 140 pounds, let alone fights. I may be fat, I may be round but guess who's going to be the best pound-for-pound?"

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingvester@gmail.com