SHANE McGOWAN and The Pogues belted out the lyrics – “I’m sad to say I must be on my way/so buy me beer and whiskey ’cause I’m going far away/I’d like to think I’ll be returning when I can/to the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane” – as Ricky Hatton began his Wednesday work-out in the UFC Gym. Lean and rock-hard, the greatest little boozer in British boxing was thinking only of Floyd Mayweather.

“He likes to soak up punches, block them on his arms and make his opponent miss, hoping that he can take advantage of a tired foe in the later rounds,” Hatton said. “He waited for Zab Judah to come to a standstill last year and when Zab did he was able to come back and win on points. He waited for Oscar [De La Hoya] to stop jabbing before he came back over the second half of their fight in May. So what’s going to happen when he sees me in round six or round seven and he’s still trying to soak it up? ‘What round is it?’ he’ll be asking his corner. ‘Round three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine? Oh shit, the fight’s over’. That’s the way I see it panning out. I don’t think he can out-point me. Style-wise, some people have an Achilles heel, and I believe that I’m his. I’m convinced I’ll be Floyd’s worst nightmare.”

If the 29-year-old welterweight is right, next weekend’s world title bout at the MGM Grand could be as significant as Randolph Turpin’s defeat of Sugar Ray Robinson in 1951 at Earls Court and Lloyd Honey-ghan’s 1986 demolition of Don Curry.

An estimated 25,000 Hatton supporters are expected to arrive from Britain this week to see his bid for glory. Tickets for the 16,000-seat arena sold out within an hour, so thousands of fans will be accommodated at closed-circuit venues where tickets are on sale for $50. David Beckham will be among the celebrities at ringside, as will world super- middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe and world cruiserweight champion David Haye. So can he do it?

Undeniably, Hatton is a live underdog because he has the style to knock Mayweather out of his comfort zone. Controlled aggression will be the key. “People are underestimating just how clever and how quick Ricky can be,” declared his trainer, Billy Graham. “May-weather has great natural gifts and exceptional balance. But Ricky has the tools and the temperament to beat him. He can throw punches and land from a medium range as he’s moving in.

“And he will get in because Ricky’s footwork is terrific and he has a clever boxing brain. He’s a master at threading punches through small gaps and making this count with a hard shot to a vital area, as he did against [Jose Luis] Castillo. Mayweather, I believe, is in for a nasty shock.”

For his ability to remain elusive while picking off an opponent with a razor-sharp and accurate attack – coupled with the fact that Hatton is moving up 7lb from his more comfortable light-welterweight division – Mayweather must be the pick on points. But if Hatton can avoid getting cut and find a way inside, none of his favourite Guinness would be required to imagine an historic upset.

How Hatton could pass the personality test

Ricky Hatton’s place on the shortlist of 10 for the 2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award was confirmed on Friday night. The Manchester boxer joined fellow fighter Joe Calzaghe, and Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray, Christine Ohuruogu, Paula Radcliffe, Jason Robinson, Justin Rose, world superbike champion James Toseland and Jonny Wilkinson in contention for the honour, the winner of which will be announced live on television next Sunday night. The winner will be decided by a public vote during the show, and with Hatton fighting Mayweather in Las Vegas the night before, he has a unique opportunity to shade out his rivals. He is currently second favourite at 7/2 behind Hamilton. But if he beats Mayweather, the odds would shorten signifi cantly. Were he to scoop the award, he would be the first boxer to triumph since Lennox Lewis in 1999 and only the fourth overall. The two previous boxing winners are Barry McGuigan, in 1985, and Henry Cooper in 1967 and 1970

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