Ricky Hatton is hoping that Floyd Mayweather Jr does not use the excuse of a hand injury or his time on Dancing with the Stars as an excuse if he loses when the pair meet in Las Vegas in ten days’ time. “I think it’s common knowledge that Floyd has problems with his hands,” Hatton said. “I just hope that when I beat him he’s man enough to say the better man won on the night, not say it was his hands or the dancing.”

Mayweather competed in the American version of Strictly Come Dancing and had to commute from his home in the gambling mecca to Los Angeles for the show, although he was eliminated in the fourth week of the series.

Hatton has been living in a house on the outskirts of Las Vegas since flying to the United States last Thursday and says that he has no doubts that he will take Mayweather’s WBC welterweight title.

“As the fight gets closer you might expect me to be getting nervous, but I am just getting more confident day after day,” he said. “I’m sure every fighter says they are in the shape of their lives, but with me it happens to be true. I’m looking forward to shocking the world.”

Explore More Sport

• Athletics

• Boxing

• Cycling

• Sailing

• US Sport