I'm going to shock the world, promises Hatton

Ricky Hatton today vowed he is ready to produce the greatest performance in history from any British fighter to cause one of boxing's all-time upsets here.

He made his promise as big-fight fever in Las Vegas reached such peaks that one ringside seat for Hatton's world welterweight title showdown with Floyd Mayweather tomorrow was being touted for more than £20,000.

Hatton said: "I'm going to have to produce the performance of my life but I'm ready to deliver and shock the world.

"They said my win over Kostya Tszyu was the biggest win in British boxing history and I never thought I'd be able to top that - but now it looks like I'm going to do it.

"Mayweather's a five-weight, six-time world champion and only the greatest have ever done that. It's going to be an incredible achievement whatever way you look at it.

"I've always been better, the bigger the fight and I'm just overflowing, brimming with confidence. I'm determined to make the country proud."

As an army of 25,000 fans, many without tickets, continued arriving in Las Vegas today for a fight being touted as the biggest since the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson heavyweight title bout five years ago, the clamour for seats at the MGM Grand Arena had reached "insane" levels, according to one American ticket agency official.

The huge interest has put extra pressures on Hatton with trainer Billy Graham admitting his man is "exhausted" by his media commitments this week.

He said: "It's always a pleasure to talk to the media, but it's tiring. I'm sure Ricky's exhausted. But he won't be on fight night. After the weigh-in he will recharge his batteries."