Mayweather vs. Hatton Nearing Boiling Point

Photos: Naoki Fukuda

With the WBC welterweight title superfight less than a week away, the world's media have descended upon Las Vegas where reigning champion Floyd Mayweather and challenger Ricky Hatton have been participating in open workouts prior to their bout on Saturday, December 8, 2007.

Mayweather, 38-0 (24), is the favorite to retain his WBC 147 lb title as the 30 year old has held the Green Belt in a full five weight classes from super feather to light middle and is widely recognized as the pound for pound top fighter in the world today.

Many in the media feel that Mayweather will outclass or even stop Hatton, 43-0 (31), the world light welterweight champion, but the 29 year old Englishman comes into this clash on the strength of five consecutive victories over reigning or former world champions and has picked up the backing of promoter Oscar De la Hoya, himself a legendary WBC champion in three weight classes.

It is with tremendous anticipation that the world of boxing awaits this classic confrontation and it is expected that the PPV sales figures may top the record already set by Mayweather vs. De la Hoya earlier this year.

As with all the best fights, fans have drawn themselves into separate camps, each backing their favorite, be it Mayweather or Hatton, but once the first bell rings they will all come together in enjoyment of this most intriguing of world title fights.

Of all the world title belts in existence today, it is only fitting that it is the WBC crown that is at stake in this historic showdown.