RICKY Hatton has blasted back at those Manchester City fans who have attacked his decision to let Wayne Rooney carry his one of his belts into the ring in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The Hitman, a dyed-in-the-wool Blue, asked Rooney to walk him to the ring when he heard the United star was planning to be ringside for his crunch showdown with Mexican ace Jose Luis Castillo.
And that caused a fuss among some City fans, and even a few players, who vowed that they were cancelling their trips to Vegas in protest.
Hatton's message to anyone who has decided not to go because of Rooney, is blunt: "You're not welcome anyway."
And he explained his reasons for asking Rooney to carry one of his belts, with his pal Marco Antonio Barrera expected to carry the other.
"When it comes to football I just can't stand United but at the end of the day I appreciate what they have done as a team," says Hatton.
"You have to step back and admire their players. Half the team were in the gym the other week.
"Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, John O'Shea. Wayne was gonna come down but something cropped up at the last minute. Just because I don't support their team it doesn't mean I don't appreciate them as players and what they've achieved.
"I will have a little chuckle when Wayne carries the belt out to Blue Moon, I must admit."
Rio Ferdinand, Carrick, Brown and O'Shea are also expected to be ringside, along with United legend Bryan Robson, former City aces Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips and Blackburn's David Dunn, who is a close friend of Hatton.
The only Blue presence was expected to be provided by Stuart Pearce and Barton, but both have now left City, and Pearce is still tied up with the European under-21 championships in any case.
"Joey is still going, but he could be on the bill at this rate," says Hatton. "I've always said when I fight I do it for Manchester in general whether you are City or United.
"I'm quite pally with some of the players from United but come derby day I hope we kick them all over the pitch. It doesn't mean I don't respect the players and team for what they are and stand for, particularly Wayne Rooney.
Pally
"I like his attitude. He is like me in the sense that he is no-nonsense and doesn't do a lot of talking.
"When you think of the publicity and spotlight he is under, for him and his fiancee Coleen to stay the way they are is impressive.
"Boxing is different where it only has a select audience but every day Wayne is in the spotlight and in the paper. For him to remain so grounded is fantastic.
"He is like me and has no airs or graces. I like him as a player. Great to watch, always attacking, likes to go at players. You can have a ball knocked 50 yards to him and he'll take it down on his chest and shove defenders off.
"He is my type of player. Whenever he gets the ball you are on the edge of your seat and think something is gonna happen.
"It takes a bit of guts for him to carry the belt to Blue Moon. I'm disappointed that a few City players have said `Is it true Wayne is carrying the belt in' and when I've said `Yeah', they've told me: `We ain't going'.
"I see where they are coming from because when it comes to football no one dislikes United more than me, even though I respect them.
Respect
"When it is derby day I hope we kick them all over the pitch and give them a right whupping. But really, in that sense they're not Ricky Hatton fans.
"People like Rooney and the United players respect me as a sportsman. They don't turn round and say `Well he is a helluva fighter but I'm not going to watch that little Blue so-and-so.
"You don't do that because that is just football. So anybody who doesn't wanna come and watch me because he is carrying the belt is not welcome as far as I'm concerned.
"You're coming to support me and if you are a Mancunian or fan from Britain you support me regardless of who is carrying the belt. You have to admit, he's a bit rum - United's main young hero carrying the belt out to Blue Moon.
"He is a big boxing fan. I boxed with his cousin Richie Rooney when I went to Russia with England schoolboys. His brother Graham is an amateur boxer and I think Wayne did a bit a few years back - the whole family are big, big boxing fans.
"Because I've got quite pally with him over the last couple of years I knew he was coming and said `Would you like to carry the belt in' and he was made up.
"It is nice for him being a boxing fan and me being a fan of him - it'll help spur me on."
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Didn't this article appear a couple of weeks ago? Yawn......
I thought it was just the citeh fans that were bitter but obviously the citeh players are as well....get a life muppets!
Respect to Ricky Hatton for using his head unlike other city fans. Nice one Ricky!
Muppet Ant, Manchester. Do you think if Ricky was a ManU fan he would be so wholesome in his praise for City players ? No I dont think so either. Money might buy trophies but not class.
Andrew you muppet, take your head out of your a**e.
The article is criticising city players/fans complaining that Ricky had asked a high profile sportsman (and probs friend too) to carry his belt. If Ricky was a Red then he wouldn't even consider any Citeh players would he, muppet!
Ricky knows class when he see's it! Lets face bitter and twisted blues who have you got to walk him into the ring? get a life, a team, a manager,your own stadium, some players, some goals! I thank you
I wonder if Rooney played for Liverpool would all you mouthy reds be so pro Hatton all of a sudden ??
Andy, Flixton. I'm not pro Hatton, far from it, I just find it refreshing that a city fan like Hatton can see further than his nose and go against the bitterness of some city fans and players.
City fans are completely missing the point but then they missed the point before the Rooney ring walk anyway. Its not about football. Its simply about boxing. I am sure there are City fans who are also genuine boxing fans and they will understand what I am saying. I used to watch Ricky on undercards from about his sixth fight along with fighters like Garry Locket, Ryan Rhodes, Joe Calzaghe,Richard Williams,Alex Arthur and many others in the late 90's that were coming through on undercards and I knew straight away that he was a world class fighter. Having been to see Nigel Benn , Prince Nazeem and Ricky himself box in Manchester what I find really pathetic is City fans who are jumping on a band waggon simply because the guy supports Man City !! I missed out on the Tzyu fight because the tickets sold in an hour. Thats a joke. Thousands of pathetic know nothing City fans that have never been to a boxing match before keeping genuine boxing fans from getting a ticket. You need your club to win some trophies to understand because if your team was a success you wouldnt cling to such outside intrests as boxing. Like I said genuine boxing fans who are also City fans will probably be as angry as I am at missing out or having to sit next to people with no intrest in the sport. Its the same as calling United fans glory hunters. Would you have been there for Ricky if he had merely been a domestic level fighter ? No because like Garry Locket and Ryan Rhodes you wouldnt know who he was. As for which club fighters support I couldnt care less if Ali was a German Liverpool fan he was the greatest in BOXING.
Lee , Heywood, Heywood
I'm a City fan but also a fan of boxing and I heartily agree with your comments..well said Sir
Cheers Gaz cant wait for the fight on Saturday I think its nailed on to be a classic. Ricky will have to be careful against Castillo and might have to taste the canvas but I firmly believe he will have too much for him and stop him around the 9th.
Lee, Heywood - I really dislike arrogant attitudes like yours. Just 'cos you've been watching boxing longer than some other people it doesn't entitle you to a World Title fight ticket. Surely if Ricky Hatton attacts new fans (City fans or not) then it is a good thing for boxing? I am a geniune boxing fan and if the person sat next to me has a ticket then they've got just as much right to be there than I have.
For the record, think Ricky will struggle on Saturday. Think he caught Tszyu at the right time and hasn't boxed well since. Hope I'm wrong but gonna predict Ricky will get stopped in 10 rounds.
Boxing fans Arron yes but most of the crowd arent Boxing fans. Once Hatton has gone so will 16000 of the 18000 that were there that night. So how is that good for Boxing ?
Hi Lee, I know what you're trying to say and as we both know boxing is nowhere near as popular as it once was (this is a much bigger subject though). I noticed that the UFC sold the Arena out the other week and yet only a very small number of UK fighters can do this which I find bizarre. Anyway in my opinion even if someones first live fight is Ricky Hatton and they enjoy themselves then they might go again to other fights. This is a good thing. My first 'live' fight was Nigel Benn and I've been hooked since.
Arron I just dont get UFC myself its a bit like the Wrestling thing in that I believe its appeal will also fade in a few years whilst Boxing will always have a hard core of genuine support. Without getting into Boxings problems too deeply I have to blame promoters. How many great matchups have not been made over the past 10-15 years esp at domestic level in this Country.
MUEN at it's best. A two week old non story started in the Mirror. Ricky is a great lad and a true blue but has courted the City thing so he is not beyond ctiticism if it backfires.
Oh and UFC is more boring than WWF.
I agree Lee, whilst I am not a fan of UFC I can understand the appeal as the best are constantly matched against each other. Boxing politics are increasingly frustrating, Maccarinelli v Haye not happening being the latest example of boxing shooting itself in the foot. AT least Hatton v Castillo is a genuine world class fight between two top fighters.
how can Ricky blast Manchester City fans, they have followed him from the beginning of his career, he wears Manchester City colours and comes out to a Manchester City Anthem, in front of his thousands and thousands of loyal Manchester City Fans and expects them to be grateful that he has chosen Shrek to carry out his belt, would Richard Dunne not have been more appropriate, it isnt bitter it is a fact that his status is built round the Manchester City image he portrays every time he fights. I dont think it is a lot to ask for the 9000 fans following him across to Vegas, those same fans that have supported him for years, and now he is blasting them because they dont have mixed footballing emotions. It is a slap in the face, I wonder if Ricky was a Cockney Red if it would be acceptable to be lead out by a Manchester City Player! Yeh right or even better Stevie G - I dont think so do you??? show some appreciation for the loyal Ricky Hatton/Manchester City Fans you have had all your career - Good Luck on the night, I hope the carrying of your belt isnt tainted
Dawn, Hatton being a blue is about football. He wears the colours and walks out to your anthem because he loves your club. That thousands of saddo City fans are willing to travel half way round the world to watch a sport they know nothing about just because a man wearing their colours is good at it cannot be put at the feet of a man who started out boxing as a kid and always wore the colours and always walked out to his favourite song. Its not a gimmick he genuinely loves City as a football club but he never asked all your fans to follow him for footballing reasons when in fact he is a boxer. Had Hatton been a United Liverpool or Shrewsbury fan I would still have followed him. I couldnt care less if Stevie G, Frank Lampard and Terry Henry walked him into the ring. God you City fans need some actual football success so you dont need outside intrests. Next thing you know you will all love Oasis.
Lee, Heywood. Your arrogant commets show you up for the typical Utd fan that you are. The preetence of being such a big boxing fan whilst having a sly dig at City fans at every oppurtunity is laughable. Enjoy the fight Sat, Im going for Ricky in the 10th.
lee heywood, shut it you muppet!
Again Andy I have to say its not about football. Its Boxing. You just wouldnt get 10'000 United fans going to Vegas to follow say Calzaghe if he supported us. It wouldnt happen. Thats what I cant understand. I follow boxing very closely and have been to Sheffield Nottingham and London as well as Manchester to watch my second sport. I had little intrest in Farnell whether or not he was a United fan. I like Hatton Calzaghe Naz Nigel Benn Alex Arthur David Haye Garry Locket Richard Williams Ryan Rhodes Jaime Moore Kevin Mitchell Amir Khan and many others for lots of reasons but you can be sure that what football team they support has nothing to do with it. Success for your club would mean you didnt need success from third parties. Its not arrogance it just baffles me that so many non boxing fans have gone all the way to Vegas when they wouldnt go down the road to support any other boxer. You all need to get a life.
Lee, as much as I respect your obvious knowledge as a boxing fan, I once again have to disagree with some of your comments.If say for instance Farnell was a world class boxer in the Hatton mould, and was voicerous in his support for utd, during interviews, donning their shirt, flag etc at every oppurtunity, then Im sure 10000 reds would be marching on Vegas etc, or any other football club for that matter. I actually agree with alot of your boxing comments, just find your childish jibes about City fans rather pathetic.
Lee, do you have the monopoly on following two or more sports! are you an arm chair United supporter or are you a rare breed in Manchester? If you new anything about Ricky Hatton and his following you would know that the majority of his support comes from Manchester City Fans and has since he started his boxing career, purely because he is a fantastic boxer. We are not fans of arrogance and we do not buy success, we are a local team with a local fan base, who are loyal to local talent in other sports, just like any other football club who have famous sporting heros, like Bolton and Amir Khan. you can do whatever you like and i dont think many people who follow Ricky would care less! Unfortunately there is not a boxing hero that is as mad about united as Ricky Hatton is about Manchester City, so we will never know whether your United boxing hero would be followed by your fans, perhaps they wouldnt follow because they spend so much of their money getting to Old Trafford its like an away game every week for them, and that costs so much, they cant afford to go watching the boxing as well!