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Boxers scuffle ahead of big fight

Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton had to be restrained on Wednesday after a staredown confrontation got out of hand when the Englishman answered Mayweather's intimidation tactics.

Hatton claimed a psychological edge on his US rival as the unbeaten boxers nearly came to blows early following their final comments before tomorrow's showdown for Mayweather's World Boxing Council welterweight crown.

"I think I rattled him. I think I will [take an edge from it]," Hatton said. "I didn't come to Las Vegas to joke. I didn't come here to [screw] about. When he leaned on me and tried to move me back, I wasn't going to take that."

Mayweather leaned into Hatton during a staredown, their scowling faces barely an eyelash apart after cracking jokes minutes before.

When Hatton leaned back on the champion, Mayweather said, "Don't touch me. Don't touch me," and Hatton made a throat-slashing gesture at "Pretty Boy Floyd" before guards rushed between them.

"I wasn't going to move. I would have just stood there and stared until the bell rings for the fight," Hatton said.

Mayweather played down the incident, dismissing any notion that he lost a psychological edge to Hatton in the exchange.

"He can't get under my skin. I'm not at all worried about that," Mayweather said. "We will see if it's an advantage. I'm not shaking."

Mayweather called the staredown skirmish nothing unusual.

"I've been there plenty of times. I know what it takes," Mayweather said. "Just another day for me."
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