By Ben Dirs BBC Sport in Las Vegas

Mayweather and Hatton face off Enlarge Image

Hatton v Mayweather
Date: Sunday, 9 December
Starts from: 0100 GMT
Location: Las Vegas
Watch: Sky pay-per-view
Listen: BBC Radio 5 Live
Updates: BBC Sport website and mobile

Ricky Hatton had to be pulled apart from Floyd Mayweather as their media conference threatened to boil over.

"There's a time to laugh and joke and be my usual sarcastic self but the fight's two days away now and I've done my laughing and joking," said Hatton.

"When I leaned on him he said, 'Don't touch me'. I gave him a 'you're dead' gesture then I smiled. If he's annoyed at that, wait till the bell rings."

The pair fight for the WBC welterweight crown on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Hatton and Mayweather's scuffle

Hatton fans look forward to the fight

The physical confrontation came at the end of a stare-out between the two fighters that lasted two full minutes.

Mayweather and Hatton shoved each other back and forwards with their chests before being kept apart by handlers.

606: DEBATE There can be no doubt that Wednesday was the day 'Undefeated' came to the boil Ben Dirs - BBC Sport

The American swore several times at Hatton, who winked and ran his finger slowly across his throat.

Hatton said: "These kind of mind games aren't my thing, but he was pushing me."

Hatton is convinced he has managed to get under the skin of a fighter who clearly revels in his enormous self-confidence and seemed visibly perturbed by his rival's antics.

"I think Floyd preys on that confidence and that's why he did it. I think it'll hurt him more than me. I'll go away and forget about it now but I think he might be seething," he added.

Mayweather spent most of the news conference with his every move being cheered by a handful of followers who help massage the fighter's confidence each day.

And in his usual confident style he said: "He can't get under my skin. I'm not at all worried about that. We will see if it's an advantage. I'm not shaking.

"When I went over to the UK they threw bottles at me, rocks at my car, giving me the finger. And he says I'm disrespecting him?

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

"Come Saturday night you'll see a Floyd Mayweather that shows versatility, inside, outside, toe-to-toe," added Mayweather.

Come Saturday night you'll see a Floyd Mayweather that shows versatility, inside, outside, toe-to-toe. Floyd Mayweather

"I've faced every style there is and I'm pretty sure I've faced the Hatton style before. But he's going to bring his A game and we're going to give the fans one hell of a fight.

"I'm in tremendous shape, I always come prepared because I don't overlook no guy."

Mayweather's uncle and trainer, Roger, believes Hatton will need more than just his fists to defeat his nephew.

"How do you beat a guy like Floyd Mayweather? He's got good hand speed, tremendous defence, so if Hatton tries to bum-rush him, he's going to get messed-up," he said.

"You can't do that. The best way to deal with my nephew is to use a stick, a fishing pole.

"But if you ain't got a fishing pole, and you come in there with your face, I ain't gonna tell you what's gonna happen. He's too crafty, he's too slick, he can do it all.

"You'll see on fight-night why they call him the best fighter in the world."