LAS VEGAS ? Make him miss and make him pay.
This is going to be Ricky Hatton?s battleplan going into Saturday night?s super showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand.
Hatton has been telling the media the last few days that Pacquiao tends to leave himself open for a counter, that he has carefully studied the way he moves and that he will ?shock the world? by knocking out the Filipino star.
?I feel very strong,? said Hatton, who will be guided in the corner for only the second time by the flashy trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.
Hatton noted that if people thought he was sensational in dealing the usually elusive Paulie Malignaggi a stinging setback in his last outing last November, he would be far more impressive this time against Pacquiao since he prepared longer and harder under Mayweather.
Hatton had actually kicked off training camp while he was on vacation with his family in the Caribbean in early February when he occasionally jogged and flexed his muscles inside the gym.
As soon as he arrived back in Manchester, Hatton reported for training with Lee Beard supervising the first phase of his preparation.
In early March, Mayweather reported for duty after a whirlwind press tour in London and Manchester with Pacquiao in attendance.
Four weeks later, Team Hatton, flew here from England and set up camp at the IBA Gym, the same facility that Pacquiao uses whenever he is training for a fight.
Hatton did his morning roadwork at Sunset Park but occasionally headed to the thin air at nearby Mount Charleston, which has an elevation of 7,000 feet, wearing combat boots.
