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Jose Luis Castillo has belittled Ricky Hatton's unbeaten record and vowed to bring it to an end when the pair meet on June 23 to contest the IBO light-welterweight title.
The 'Hitman' has an impressive 42-0 record but Castillo insists he is not intimidated by the numbers and believes the 28-year-old Mancunian has not faced enough big names.
An ageing Kostya Tszyu, who Hatton beat in 11 rounds in front of a hometown crowd two years ago, remains his biggest scalp - and Mexican legend Castillo has vowed he will not to be added to that list at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas.
"I don't think for one minute Ricky Hatton's record bears any comparison with mine. He fought Tszyu when Kostya was on the way down and even then Ricky had home advantage," he said.
"I have fought and beaten some of the best fighters in the world whereas Hatton hasn't got names like Diego Corrales, Floyd Mayweather or Joel Casamayor on his record.
"He is 42-0 but things like unbeaten records can be very misleading. I am not bothered about his unbeaten record. It will end on June 23."
Nevertheless, Castillo conceded that Hatton was a tough proposition and has trained harder than ever before for the bout.
"Hatton is a good, strong fighter, but I am going to knock him out and I am then going to get my revenge on Mayweather.
"I started in the gym 12 weeks ago and I have never worked this hard for any fight. It will be the best Jose Luis Castillo the world has ever seen.
"I cannot wait. It is like a new beginning for me. My last fight (against Herman Ngoudjo) was just a warm-up. This is the real thing," he added.
"I need the motivation of facing someone like Hatton to get the best out of me. I have been in a lot of big wars and I need the best opponents to make me fight at my best. When I lost to Diego Corrales the first time, I regrouped and beat him easily when we met again.
"But those fights showed I have the heart of a lion and that will come to the fore again on June 23. Hatton will have never seen anything like me."
Castillo said: "I have best upper cut in the division and I will use it against Hatton. Ricky is used to slow, cumbersome fighters, but I have real hand speed and that will cut him down.
"Hatton is there to be beaten and I know I am going to be the first boxer to do it. My trainer told me he has never seen me any better in the sparring I have done. That is a warning to Hatton and he should know that on June 23 it will be a war.
"I am going to win that war."
The 'Hitman' has an impressive 42-0 record but Castillo insists he is not intimidated by the numbers and believes the 28-year-old Mancunian has not faced enough big names.
An ageing Kostya Tszyu, who Hatton beat in 11 rounds in front of a hometown crowd two years ago, remains his biggest scalp - and Mexican legend Castillo has vowed he will not to be added to that list at the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas.
"I don't think for one minute Ricky Hatton's record bears any comparison with mine. He fought Tszyu when Kostya was on the way down and even then Ricky had home advantage," he said.
"I have fought and beaten some of the best fighters in the world whereas Hatton hasn't got names like Diego Corrales, Floyd Mayweather or Joel Casamayor on his record.
"He is 42-0 but things like unbeaten records can be very misleading. I am not bothered about his unbeaten record. It will end on June 23."
Nevertheless, Castillo conceded that Hatton was a tough proposition and has trained harder than ever before for the bout.
"Hatton is a good, strong fighter, but I am going to knock him out and I am then going to get my revenge on Mayweather.
"I started in the gym 12 weeks ago and I have never worked this hard for any fight. It will be the best Jose Luis Castillo the world has ever seen.
"I cannot wait. It is like a new beginning for me. My last fight (against Herman Ngoudjo) was just a warm-up. This is the real thing," he added.
"I need the motivation of facing someone like Hatton to get the best out of me. I have been in a lot of big wars and I need the best opponents to make me fight at my best. When I lost to Diego Corrales the first time, I regrouped and beat him easily when we met again.
"But those fights showed I have the heart of a lion and that will come to the fore again on June 23. Hatton will have never seen anything like me."
Castillo said: "I have best upper cut in the division and I will use it against Hatton. Ricky is used to slow, cumbersome fighters, but I have real hand speed and that will cut him down.
"Hatton is there to be beaten and I know I am going to be the first boxer to do it. My trainer told me he has never seen me any better in the sparring I have done. That is a warning to Hatton and he should know that on June 23 it will be a war.
"I am going to win that war."
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