NOT since the hoodlums first went to Las Vegas to set up and play the gaming tables has such an extraordinary bunch massed in the Nevada city.

More than 25,000 British fans set up camp in the hotels and bars to ensure they were there for what they regarded as the most important boxing match of all time - Manchester’s Ricky “the Hitman” Hatton versus America’s Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather.

Hattonmania almost defies superlatives. He may look like a cross between one of Jimmy Cagney’s henchmen and Wayne Rooney (who happens to be a huge fan), but Hatton’s attraction easily outstrips that of former British pugilist hopefuls such as Frank Bruno and Joe Bugner. Hatton is fighting as a welterweight, but he has a heavyweight personality. Hence the huge following.

Though the fight was at 4am this morning on Sky, global television revenue topped £60m, easily beating the £48m record set in 2002 when Lennox Lewis beat Mike Tyson. Betting on the fight reached £15m in Britain alone.

Most of the British fans in Las Vegas had to watch on television themselves as the MGM Arena holds only 3,900. Among the ringside celebrities were David Beckham, Jude Law and Gordon Ramsay.

Even the government has jumped on the boxing bandwagon, with Gerry Sutcliffe, the sports minister, calling for more schools to offer boxing as a sport. Only one in 25 does so at present.

“If you look at boxers - Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe, Amir Khan - they are great people for youngsters to see as role models,” he said.

Tonight Hatton has another fight on his hands – the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. For some weeks he has been second favourite to take this title, behind Lewis Hamilton, the rookie motor racing driver who just missed out on the world championship. But odds have shortened on Hatton in recent days. Third favourite is Calzaghe, the super-middleweight champion.

For the BBC there must be mixed feelings about the three favourites. It does not broadcast the drivers’ championship (that has been with ITV for several years); nor does it air the fights of Hatton or Calzaghe. They are shown on Sky.

It shows how the BBC is missing key sports, although it did, rather unwisely, sign a deal five years ago to cover the fights of the super-heavyweight Audley Harrison. He lacked both punch and persona.

Hamilton would probably take the BBC award tonight had he actually won the drivers’ championship. His failure to do so gives Hatton’s fans a chink of opportunity.

Voting takes place between 7pm tonight, when the programme begins, and about 8.50pm, with the result announced just before 9pm. In recent years there have been between 500,000 and 700,000 votes.