Boxing: Ricky Hatton is relishing the opportunity to prove himself the best fighter on the planet after contracts were signed today for his December super-fight against Floyd Mayweather.
Hatton is set to earn a career-best purse of up to £8m for the contest, which will be promoted by Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy. It is expected to take place in Las Vegas on December 8th.
The unbeaten Manchester 'Hitman' said it was his lifetime dream to climb to the top of the pound for pound rankings, a position currently held by the five-weight world champion Mayweather.
Hatton (43-0, 31kos) said: "To win the world title is one thing but to be known as the best pound for pound fighter on the planet in any weight division would be something else and I just can't wait.
"I am fighting a five-weight world champion and the best fighter in the world. He's just come off a win over another modern day legend in De La Hoya. It can't get any bigger than that," he said.
Mayweather (38-0, 24kos) has been needled out of retirement to take the fight. The brash Grand Rapids man said he would walk away from the sport after his win over De La Hoya.
But Hatton's magnificent win over Jose Luis Castillo in June clearly caught the attention of the self-styled 'Pretty Boy' - as did Hatton's subsequent comments about what he perceives to be Mayweather's negative style.
"Before my last performance against Castillo I'm sure a lot of people thought I'd lost my chance at fighting him but with the performance I put in last time he could see what a big fight it is," Hatton added.
Hatton will move up to 147lbs for only the second time in his career to face Mayweather in a fight which is expected to be broadcast on HBO pay-per-view in the US and spark a UK bidding war between Sky, ITV and Setanta.