Hatton wants longer pleasure activities before his big fight

Not even an on-going two-week Caribbean cruise with his loved ones is enough for Ricky Hatton to enjoy life before he plunges into heavy training for the May 2 battle with Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton told the British press that he will ask chief trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. to allow him to spend some more time in England in the company of his family before he heads to boot camp in Las Vegas.

Mayweather wants Hatton to train for eight solid weeks under him in Las Vegas but the fighter fancies a longer time in the UK since "I will miss my son, my girlfriend, my family and my football if I go for that long."

Still, if Mayweather Sr. insists that Hatton gets there eight weeks prior to the scheduled 12-rounder at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, he will have no choice but to give in.

"My trainer Floyd Mayweather wants me there for eight solid weeks but that is a long time," said Hatton. "I will speak to Floyd about the training camp but if I have to go I will go."

When Hatton begins training camp in England, assistant trainer Lee Beard will supervise his training.

Hatton’s fascination with the bottle and late-night partying is not news in England and the puncher himself admits he enjoys the hedonistic lifestyle.

When he is not in training, Hatton gains weight by consuming his favorite brew and dining on his preferred finger foods.

"I’d like to go to bed at eight o‘clock every night, eat salads every day and not drink but I’m not made that way," said Hatton, who will defend his status as king of the 140-lb division more than his lightly-regarded International Boxing Organization crown.

With exactly 90 days remaining before the bout that will be staged in front of an expected boisterous audience at the 16,000-plus seat Grand Garden Arena, Hatton and Pacquiao have yet to work out a sweat as they continue to indulge in non-boxing activities like, in Pacquiao’s case -- hosting parties -- and chilling out with friends and family.

Like Hatton, Pacquiao also adds extra pounds but makes sure his weight doesn’t go past 155 lbs.

"I don’t allow myself to bloat," said Pacquiao, whose diet consists of seafood such as fish, crabs and lobsters and also chicken and steak (cooked well-done).

But once Pacquiao reports for training, his food is mainly beef soup, chicken, fish, bread, vegetables and fruits.

Source: mb.com.ph