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Ricky Hatton training camp problems won't affect us, says Mayweather Sr• 'I saw a problem I had and I addressed it," says trainer
• Hatton drilled the hard way in importance of head movement
Digg it guardian.co.uk, Friday 1 May 2009 08.58 BST Article history
Floyd Mayweather Sr speaks to Ricky Hatton during a training session at the IBA Gym. Photograph: Denise Truscello/Getty Images
Ricky Hatton's trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr has admitted to problems in the British fighter's camp during the build-up to Saturday night's clash with Manny Pacquiao but insists preparations have gone well.
Hatton is defending his IBO light-weltwelterweight title against the Filipino and it is just the second fight on which he and Mayweather Sr have worked together.
Mayweather Sr had just seven weeks to prepare Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs) for last November's victory back at light welterweight over Paulie Malignaggi, but the lead in to the fight with Pacquiao (48-3-2, 35 KOs) has been longer and there has been speculation that the training camp has been marred by personality clashes.
"It doesn't mean a camp is not a good camp because there are problems," Mayweather Sr said. "It doesn't mean you've had a bad camp. I think he had a good camp and was there a problem there? Yes.
"It was a problem that could be addressed and taken care of without being in the media. It didn't need to be in the media. We straightened it out.
"I'm a no nonsense trainer. I saw a situation and problem I had and I addressed it," Mayweather added. "We have a very clear understanding. I respect them and I want them to do the same with me. Nobody is jerking me around."
Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach earlier told reporters that Mayweather had been late for at least one of Hatton's sparring sessions. "I think it's a slap in the face for a trainer to show up late for a training session with a world champion," Roach said.
Mayweather sidestepped the allegation, but when asked if there was a personality clash between himself and Hatton's assistant trainer Lee Beard, he said: "Why wouldn't Lee and I be friends? Why would you pick Lee out of everybody?
"There are a lot of people there [in the camp], not just me and Lee," he said, before adding: "But you could be on the right track."
Meanwhile, Hatton has been learning the hard way to keep his head moving, with Mayweather going as far as hitting the Mancunian there with his pads during training sessions.
"If someone's fighting you is he going to play-fight?" Mayweather asked. "So are you going to play-train? What are you going to do? Are you going to move your head or are you going to stay there? I don't play games, if you leave your head there I'm going to take it off.
"I said to Ricky, 'You need to move your head, man, you want to be able to see your kids. You don't want to be hit in the head, that's your brain in there. When you get hit in the head your brain rattles'.
"So I don't want him to get hit upsides the head and I want him to use the jab more as an offensive and a defensive weapon. You can beat him up with the jab and keep him off you with it."
Hatton, who will go into the fight against former four-division world champion Pacquiao as underdog, last week described Mayweather Sr as "arguably the best coach in the world" and said his training camp could not be better.
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