British light welterweight Ricky Hatton has outraged next opponent Ray Oliveira by looking ahead to a meeting with IBF champion Kostya Tszyu. Oliveira, who meets Hatton in London on 11 December, is incensed at being branded a "warm-up fight".
"I've never been a tune-up for anybody, never mind this English kid," said the 36-year-old American veteran.
"I'm going to school Ricky Hatton like I did Vivian Harris. He's going to be professor Oliveira's student."
Oliveira, whose 47-9-2 record includes a points win over WBA champion Harris, added: "I just hope he (Hatton) keeps preparing for this as a tune-up fight.
"He keeps looking ahead to Tszyu and that's fine with me.
"I know, I'm old, slowing down, and can't hurt anybody. Hey, Hatton's going to be in for the surprise of his life if he believes any of that."
Oliveira told www.fightnews.com: "Nobody's ever stopped me and only two men have ever floored me.
"I've seen everything in the ring and my experience is going to be the difference.
"I read where he said he's going to keep me running the whole fight. I hope so because I fight my best backing up.
"I'm going to box him, throw a lot of punches, like I'm known for. Now, though, my punches have more power behind them."
The 26-year-old Hatton insisted Tszyu remains his main focus.
"It's what I've wanted all along - to top the bill in a world title fight at somewhere such as Las Vegas or Madison Square Garden, New York," he said.
Tszyu had been close to retirement and out of action for 22 months before stopping Sharma Mitchell at the weekend.
But the Australian has since hinted that he would be looking for more top-class fights.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
