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Hatton to face Mayweather in December

01/08/2007

The much-hyped fight between Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather is to take place in December, the Manchester boxer's father has said.

Ray Hatton said that the fight will take place on December 8th and it is expected to be imminently confirmed for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The Hatton-Mayweather fight is one of the most keenly-anticipated in recent boxing history and will pit two unbeaten champions in their weights.

Light-welterweight Hatton will have to step up a weight for the clash, dubbed a 'superfight' by the media, but both boxers have been talking up their chances of success.

"The contract provided what we wanted and we are officially signed up and our lawyers have told us that the Mayweather camp have also signed," Hatton snr said.

"Now we are just waiting for the date and venue to be made official."

The likely Las Vegas venue will be well-known to 'The Hitman', as it was there that he defeated Jose Luis Castillo on June 24th.

Both Hatton and Mayweather remain unbeaten, although the latter has stated that his victory over Oscar de la Hoya last month would be his last before retirement.

Mayweather is seen as the best 'pound for pound' fighter in the world at present despite his retirement and the bout would be Hatton's toughest fight to date.

Hatton has already admitted that the fight with Mayweather will be "the greatest day of my life, other than when my son was born".

"Floyd is the one I want more than anybody else," he told the Daily Express.

"Floyd is a great fighter but if he thinks I'm going to turn up and just lie back and take what he has got to dish out then he has got another thing coming."

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