LOOKING IN ON: BOXING

Ricky Hatton has a clear rooting interest in the May 5 showdown between Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand.

"Mayweather's probably the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but everyone thinks he's an (obnoxious person)," Hatton said. "I'd like to see Oscar give him a bit of a (beating)."

A favorite among boxing fans, especially those from his native England, Hatton was speaking as a fan himself - from the heart.

Had he been cooler and more calculating, Hatton might have chosen to back Mayweather. After all, Hatton would eventually like a shot at Mayweather, too, and the potential matchup would command more intrigue if both men remain undefeated.

Hatton, one of the sport's most engaging personalities, said he was turned off by Mayweather's showboating during a recent national tour to hype the De La Hoya fight.

"I don't want people (looking back on my career) and saying, 'Yeah, he can fight, but what a (jerk),' " said Hatton, who will fight Jose Luis Castillo on June 23 at the Thomas & Mack Center. "Every city he was up in Oscar's face. What's the point of that? Is he going to scare Oscar?

"When the day comes that I get beat, or I have my last fight, I want to go out like Kostya Tszyu - a class act."

Hatton (42-0, 30 knockouts) snared Tszyu's junior welterweight world title before a hometown crowd in Manchester in 2005 and has fought three lesser-known opponents since, making his Las Vegas debut with a unanimous-decision victory against Juan Urango in January at the Paris Las Vegas.

His recent fights, particularly the sluggish second half of the 12-rounder against Urango, were not vintage Ricky Hatton.

"To lose my zip was very unusual," Hatton said during a recent visit to Mandalay Bay. "No one's more honest than me, and I thought my performance in my last two fights have been (garbage)."

Hatton, who plans to arrive in Las Vegas four weeks before the Castillo fight after training camp in Manchester, projects a more explosive match against the Mexican veteran. The aggressive, action-oriented styles of the two fighters should generate a crowd-pleaser, Hatton said.

"I feel like I came to America and I haven't shown you half of what I've got," Hatton said. "I think me and Castillo will both be better for this fight. He's more my kind of fighter, and this is my kind of fight."

De La Hoya speaks

De La Hoya and Mayweather are both training for the May 5 fight on their home turfs - De La Hoya in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Freddie Roach, and Mayweather in Las Vegas with his uncle, Roger Mayweather.

De La Hoya acknowledged Mayweather's vaunted hand speed will be a factor, but said he expects the move up to junior middleweight will test Mayweather.

"We know he's fast," De La Hoya said. "How fast is he at 154? That's something we'll see May 5. There will be many times I lure him into my trap. I'll take some risks - not letting him hit me, but forget to block a punch, let him hit me two or three times to see how much power he has."

Shane Mosley, who beat De La Hoya twice before becoming a partner in De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, is also working with him in training camp as a sparring partner.

"People are going to be surprised at how well I'm going to be able to match (Mayweather's) speed," De La Hoya said.

Sugar Ray's ' Contender'

Sugar Ray Leonard is assisting Peter Manfredo Jr. of the TV reality show "The Contender" as Manfredo (26-3, 12 KOs) prepares to try to upend unbeaten super middleweight champ Joe Calzaghe on April 7 in Cardiff, Wales (HBO, Cox cable channel 200).

"A lot of the same signs I had in my camp training for (Marvin) Hagler I have seen in Peter's camp," Leonard said, predicting an upset. "Even the media are asking Calzaghe the same 'what's next?' type of questions that I observed with Hagler. I love it."

Leonard came out of a three-year retirement to beat Hagler by split decision on April 6, 1987, at Caesars Palace.

Calzaghe (42-0, 31 KOs), making his 20th title defense, is a minus-1400 favorite (risk $14 to win $1) according to odds at the Palms.

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