Mayweather Sr. making mark

ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, England – Ricky Hatton had no time to celebrate his 30th birthday Monday. His new trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., made sure of that.

The veteran trainer only joined Hatton’s camp Friday, but wasn’t wasting any time before the fighter defends his IBO light welterweight title against Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on Nov. 22.

Mayweather began his arduous program at 6 a.m. Saturday by attaching dumbbells to Hatton’s hands for a five-mile run.

“Floyd was side by side with me all the way — in a Range Rover, I might add — saying, ‘Come on, jab, jab, step off, one-two!’ ” Hatton said. “It was hard because it’s very hilly where I live. As soon as we got back to my house, he jumped out the car and we did a little bit of sparring.”

Hatton split with trainer Billy Graham after 11 years following his first defeat in a 44-fight career, a loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr. last December in Las Vegas.

Mayweather Sr., who is estranged from his son, was critical of the guidance Graham had offered Hatton.

“You can do the same training Billy did, maybe better,” Mayweather said at Hatton’s new gym. “Go get yourself a pillow at home and let Ricky hit you — that’s all he did.

“Ricky’s got here on his own. (Graham) calls himself a trainer, I call him ‘Silly Billy.’ He should have left Billy earlier, a whole lot of years ago. You will see a different Ricky, trust me. I’m teaching him things he’s never done before.

“I’m teaching him how to punch back, chested shots and let his hands go back.”

Hatton said he knew it was time to leave when Graham began receiving painkilling injections in his hands.

“He didn’t want to admit to himself that the time had come to finish,” Hatton said. “Everyone was telling me to leave Billy earlier and I think it’s clear because, slowly but surely, everyone was leaving Billy. I couldn’t do it because I had such a close relationship with him.”

Mayweather has trained Oscar de la Hoya, Chad Dawson and Joan Guzman to world titles.

“Floyd will slow me down and show me how to look after myself defensively a bit,” Hatton said. “Everyone Floyd has worked with has turned around and said he’s the best and improved them.

“With a new training camp, that might breath a whole new lease of life into me. It’s only because I turned professional so young that people ask when I’m going to retire. You might see my performances get better than they’ve ever been so I’d be a fool to hang my gloves up.”

Hatton wants to challenge the winner of the De La Hoya-Manny Pacquiao fight on Dec. 6, while a rematch with Mayweather Jr. is also on the horizon.

“I’d like to fight Floyd Jr. again,” Hatton said. “I think he’ll come out of retirement after the De La Hoya-Pacquiao fight. Floyd is all about controversy and he’ll want to come out and do it.”

And that could see Mayweather coaching Hatton against his son.

“It’s a strange one, isn’t it?” Hatton said. “Father and son is a very touchy subject and we’d have to cross that bridge when we come to it. He’s of the opinion that Floyd Jr. has forgotten that his dad helped him to get there. But he didn’t harp on about it and I’m not going to ask too many questions.”

The 55-year-old Mayweather was more forthcoming about where he’d focus his loyalty.

“Does Floyd give me any money?” he asked. “That answers your question about who I will train.”