Round ten: Mayweather wins!

Mayweather floors Hatton with a left hook, he gets up but is sent to the canvas with a left-right combination moments afterwards and the referee ends the fight. That's it.

Round nine: Mayweather 10 Hatton 9
His energy levels dipping, Hatton is forced to fight at distance, and into the hands of Mayweather. The American - who has not been hurt since the opening round - picks off Hatton with several hard jabs.

Round eight: Mayweather 10 Hatton 8
Excellent round for Mayweather. He lands two huge rights and most have been close to a stoppage with the ensuing barrage of punches. Thankfully, Hatton eventually responds with a couple of his own and makes it to the bell. The referee checks with Hatton's corner during the break. They insist he's fine.

Round seven: Mayweather 9 Hatton 10
Hatton is down on my scorecard and on Jim Watt's too, but the American commentators at HBO don't agree with their British counterpart, putting Hatton one ahead before this round. He edges this one for his workrate - slowed only by Mayweather's flourish at the bell.

Round six: Mayweather 10 Hatton 9
Mayweather is ducking to 90 degrees, doubtless to draw Hatton into illegal punches. He takes the bait, aims one to the back of the head and has a point deducted. Mayweather is using his elbows in the clinches without impunity, too. Cortez is making this difficult for Hatton.

Round five: Mayweather 9 Hatton 10
Hatton responds well, forcing Mayweather into his corner, where he takes several to the body before forcing Hatton back with the jab. The American then tries to line up a big right but Hatton gets inside quickly, forcing Mayweather to put a sneaky arm across his neck. Hatton sneaks the round, just.

Round four: Mayweather 10 Hatton 9
Poor round for Hatton. He briefly slows his tireless attack and is punished right-left-right combination on the button. Mayweather's corner tell him more of the same will win him the fight. They're right.

Round three: Mayweather 10 Hatton 10
Hatton has more success getting under Mayweather's jab, wrapping him up on the ropes, but Mayweather responds with two more classy rights. Worryingly, one cuts Hatton above the eye.

Round two: Mayweather 10 Hatton 10
A better round by Hatton but worrying signs from Joe Cortez, the referee. Repeatedly he separated the fighters when Hatton got in close - where he needs to be cause damage. Cortez eventually calls a time out, warning each fighter for dirty tactics, though you feel Hatton is the more culpable.

Round one: Mayweather 10 Hatton 9
Mayweather lands several more clean punches than Hatton, a right cross, left hook, and a right cross again, slipping away easily from Hatton's counter. But Hatton landed the most telling punch, a hard jab that stunned Mayweather, forcing him to rock back on his feet.

0450 BST: Hatton looks tense
Perhaps more tense than he has been before a fight. The Brits in the crowd, though, are the only to be heard, roaring Hatton into the ring and booing Mayweather. Here's the bell.

0440 BST: Tom Jones steps up
The Welsh underwear-remover has just completed the National Anthem. The fighters are preparing to walk into the arena. Shouldn't be long, now.

0411 BST: Hatton v Mayweather, round by round
Welcome to round by round coverage of Ricky Hatton's superfight against Floyd Mayweather. The bout is expected to start in about 20 minutes - once Jeff Lacey and Peter Manfredo have finished their business in the ring.

ROBERT DINEEN

Comments

[Luca from Leeds (UK)]

Again with this "biased referee" nonsense. Joe Cortez was spot on at all times and also - in the final seconds of the bout - very timely jumped in to stop what would have potentially been a very damaging blow. If you really want to be objective, then question the bias of the referee who officiated Hatton-Tszyu, when Ricky was allowed to use all the tricks in the book and beyond to take all the steam out of his opponent. Yesterday, quite simply, Ricky Hatton was thoroughly outclassed by an all-time great at the top of his game.

[brian]

it was blatant that the ref was biased,stopping hattons early work, everyone including lenox lewis said it was vital hatton established himself early. By over interference in the early rounds to hattons disadvantage, then taking a point for no reason, going to his corner again for no reason, the ref in effected aided mayweathers tactics of frustrating hatton and winding him up, who then became careless and got caught. its a real shame, because without the ref stopping it every five seconds (he wore rickys name out) it could have been a classic bust up.

[Talib Hussain]

Good try from Hatton but i think he underestimated the genius of Mayweather with his good defending using elbows shoulders and forearms very slick.

[Darryl in USA]

"Cortez is making this difficult for Hatton."

Not exactly true. Mayweather is trying to make Hatton rush and panic, and it is working. It isn't the ref, man.