By Mark Vester
The verbal sparring match continued as Floyd Mayweather Jr. (38-0, 24KOs) and Ricky Hatton (43-0, 31KOs) resumed the promotional tour for their Dec. 8 pay-per-view showdown at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Mayweather continued to question the unblemished record of Hatton, stating that his biggest wins are suspect and hinted at Jose Luis Castillo taking a possible dive in Hatton's lastest win.
"I don't know (Hatton's) record but he fought Jose Luis Castillo who was over the hill. He hit Castillo to the body, who then did a 360 turn and took five steps to the side of the ropes and went down on one knee. We all know what that is, a phantom body shot," Mayweather said. "We know with Jose Luis Castillo that they were taking his whole purse. He's not going to go with his A game with no money.
"I beat Castillo over half a decade ago, six years ago. I fought him in his prime. And look at when Castillo got in with Diego Corrales, he got hit with body shots, upper cuts, I mean, everyone knows Diego Corrales was a much bigger puncher than Ricky Hatton. Once a fighter gets in there with me, he's faced with the truth. Inside that ring, it's one-on-one, the truth."
He then continued to downplay Hatton's career defining win over Kostya Tszyu, putting Tsyzu's age and activity level into play.
"Okay, we know he fought Kostya Tszyu but how long had he been laid off before he fought (Hatton). When a guy's been laid off for a year of course he's going to have a problem making weights, he's going to be dehydrated when he fights and he's not going to be able to step to the plate and be at his best," Mayweather said. "There are A fighters and B fighters and C fighters. I don't know what Hatton is. Punch-hold, every fight, that's all he do. He wrestled Kostya Tszyu to death. Who have you beat? An over-the-hill Kostya Tszyu and (Jose-Luis) Castillo."
Hatton was unfazed by Mayweather's comments, letting Floyd know that he was not going to be intimidated by his words.
"I've never said anything other than that Floyd is the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world with five world titles in different weights and rightly so," Hatton said. "But his last four fights, most of his fights, it seems like, if you want to know what the next fight is going to be like, watch the fight before. He's very good at what he does but what he does he does every time."
"Fans like me because they can relate to me. I'm like the man in the crowd. And I do the same that any 28-year-old guy does -- drink a pint with my mates. Floyd says he's going to slap me back to London. What does that mean? Is that supposed to intimidate me? That's a pretty boy trying to look and sound scary. He's not scaring me because I can't understand a word he's saying. I think it upsets him more than me. "
Talent yes, but Hatton feels that Mayweather shows a lack or respect and a lack of class.
"Everybody respects Floyd for his talent. Where do you draw the line with selling tickets and showing a little respect? He's shown absolutely no respect to me or to everyone. I think it's a lack of class."
Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingscene@hotmail.com
