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The going in America was always going to be tough for Matthew Hatton and now it looks like getting even tougher come Saturday night.
The WBC are expected to insist that Hatton's fight with Mexican hot-shot Saul Alvarez for their vacant world title is made at the full light-middleweight limit of 154 lbs.
Ricky the Hitman's younger brother, who has been campaigning at welterweight, has been preparing for a catchweight contest at 150 lbs.
But the WBC were widely criticised for approving an identical compromise when Manny Pacquiao moved up to win a world title in an unprecedented eighth division by massively outpointing two-time light-middleweight champion Antonio Margarito.
When Pacquiao, having reinforced his status as the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet, relinquished that belt so as to return to middleweight there was a delay before the WBC agreed to sanction Alvarez v Hatton for the championship.
It is believed they were seeking confirmation that this would be an authentic light-middleweight battle.
That - plus a decision by Golden Boy promotions to bring this Friday's weigh-in forward from mid-afternoon to noon - threatens to give Alvarez a substantial advantage in poundage by the time they enter the ring at the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California almost a day and a half later.
Alvarez, a natural light-middleweight, has been the heavy (in every sense) favourite since pen was put to paper for a fight originally conceived as a final eliminator for the world title.
The 20-year-old, undefeated and unusually red-haired Mexican is being fast-tracked to stardom by Golden Boy.
But Hatton, at nine years the older, has always believed he could make his extra experience count.
To his considerable credit, he still does, even though not only the stakes but probably the weight are being raised.
Hatton the Younger said from the start that he would not let the difference of a few pounds deter him or affect the fight.
Now those few pounds look like becoming half a stone......and rising. Even so - and although he acknowledges the prodigious talent which has already made Alvarez a celebrity south of the Mexican border and an eye-catcher in America - he remains confident of pulling off the upset.
That gritty determination is typical of the fight family Hatton. This is the kind of against-the-odds challenge which the Manchester Hitman always relished - and so often overcame before time and Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Pacquiao caught up with him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...favourite.html
The WBC are expected to insist that Hatton's fight with Mexican hot-shot Saul Alvarez for their vacant world title is made at the full light-middleweight limit of 154 lbs.
Ricky the Hitman's younger brother, who has been campaigning at welterweight, has been preparing for a catchweight contest at 150 lbs.
But the WBC were widely criticised for approving an identical compromise when Manny Pacquiao moved up to win a world title in an unprecedented eighth division by massively outpointing two-time light-middleweight champion Antonio Margarito.
When Pacquiao, having reinforced his status as the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet, relinquished that belt so as to return to middleweight there was a delay before the WBC agreed to sanction Alvarez v Hatton for the championship.
It is believed they were seeking confirmation that this would be an authentic light-middleweight battle.
That - plus a decision by Golden Boy promotions to bring this Friday's weigh-in forward from mid-afternoon to noon - threatens to give Alvarez a substantial advantage in poundage by the time they enter the ring at the Honda Centre in Anaheim, California almost a day and a half later.
Alvarez, a natural light-middleweight, has been the heavy (in every sense) favourite since pen was put to paper for a fight originally conceived as a final eliminator for the world title.
The 20-year-old, undefeated and unusually red-haired Mexican is being fast-tracked to stardom by Golden Boy.
But Hatton, at nine years the older, has always believed he could make his extra experience count.
To his considerable credit, he still does, even though not only the stakes but probably the weight are being raised.
Hatton the Younger said from the start that he would not let the difference of a few pounds deter him or affect the fight.
Now those few pounds look like becoming half a stone......and rising. Even so - and although he acknowledges the prodigious talent which has already made Alvarez a celebrity south of the Mexican border and an eye-catcher in America - he remains confident of pulling off the upset.
That gritty determination is typical of the fight family Hatton. This is the kind of against-the-odds challenge which the Manchester Hitman always relished - and so often overcame before time and Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Pacquiao caught up with him.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...favourite.html
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