Excuses start for Hatton?

LAS VEGAS â€”  A day after Ricky Hatton’s trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. hinted there was some training camp friction in the Englishman’s corner, the opposing veteran cornerman said the alibi-making has begun.

“I think it’s just excuses,� said Freddie Roach, who trained Manny Pacquiao for tonight’s 140-pound main event against Hatton at the MGM Grand. “Now, when Manny beats him, they’ve got an excuse.�

The fighters weighed in Friday, with Hatton stepping on the scales at the junior-welterweight limit 140 pounds while Pacquiao weighed 138.

England’s Hatton (45-1, 32 knockouts) is expected to surge in weight before he steps into the ring and should easily surpass Oscar De La Hoya as the heaviest man Filipino icon Pacquiao (48-3-2, 35 KOs) has fought.

“Ricky genuinely believes he’ll knock Manny out,� Hatton attorney Gareth Williams said. “He’s the naturally bigger guy, and Manny’s victory over De La Hoya isn’t impressive given the condition Oscar was in.�

Yet, it was Hatton’s camp left to defend the condition of their team unity.

On Thursday, Mayweather, training Hatton for the second bout after a previous impressive battering of Paulie Malignaggi, told reporters near the end of a round table conversation that the training camp had included some conflict.

“It doesn’t mean it’s not a good camp if we have a problem,� Mayweather told 15rounds.com and Yahoo Sports. “Was there a problem? Yes.�

The animated Mayweather reportedly had a personality conflict with Hatton’s assistant trainer from England, Lee Beard, although Hatton’s attorney was quick Friday to dismiss the reported tension. Thursday, Mayweather explained that it was “not just me and Lee, but you might be on the right track.�

Friday, Williams talked about “some idiots stirring things up on the Internet,� and addressed an issue that he describes as “absolute nonsense. Floyd’s the man, and Ricky is happy with Floyd.�

Peak condition

Pacquiao is a 5-2 favorite at Las Vegas sports books, and Roach, known more for truth than hype, said his fighter has never been “so focused� in his attempt to win a fourth consecutive fight in a different division.

“He’s driven to get better and better and he looks so good,� Roach said. “In a workout this week, he did everything in the game plan perfectly. I had nothing to criticize him for when he came back to the corner. I just said, ‘Manny, you’re looking great.’ . . . I believe we’ll knock [Hatton] out.�

Next big fight

HBO and Golden Boy Promotions have scheduled a news conference today to announce that Mayweather’s unbeaten son Floyd Jr. will come out of retirement to fight Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez.

“We’re still negotiating,� Marquez told The Times on Friday. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen. I’m training now [in Las Vegas], and that’s what I’m pointing to.�

Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this report.

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