Addicks-Hatton Double?

The perfect weekend for me would be a comprehensive winning performance by the mighty Reds tomorrow afternoon, topped off by a stunning result in Las Vegas which would see Manchester's finest crowned undisputed welterweight champion of the world.

Charlton are 8-11 and Ricky is 11-8 which probably tells you as much as you need to know about their respective chances. Charlton must surely get the home performance they are more than capable of and long overdue in delivering. An expectant Valley will not be patient, so I am praying for an early breakthrough which will steady the nerves and should enable us to play a bit of football. Ipswich's wretched away form must be playing equally on Suffolk minds and an early Addick goal might cause them to lose heart. I've gone for a 2-1 Charlton victory and will stick with it.

Ricky at 11-8 is the outsider. His 43-0 record is more impressive in statisical terms that Mayweather 38-0 but the differnce in class of respective opponents put Hatton in the shade. Mayweather is at home but you won't realise that tomorrow night. This is the fight of Hatton's career if he loses but you suspect Mayweather will still be good box office in the US with one defeat on his card. Ricky needs to win this to seal his place in the truly great category of British fighters and it would also give him the swan-song he craves against Oscar de la Hoya.

It's impossible not to warm to Hatton's honesty and his infectious personality. A fantatical city fan (you knew it wouldn't be United), an unashamed sports enthusiast and a bloke you'd love to be able to call a mate. Ballooning in weight in between fights on beer and curry, we know all we need to about The Hitman.

This looks like a desperately close fight and I don't think Hatton will win if it is. He would need to outpoint Mayweather heavily in order to get the verdict, so he is going to have to up the ante and go for it. He's more than capable of doing this but Mayweather is equally capable of adapting his style to suit. Mayweather is naturally a bigger man that Hatton (relatively!) and will be fighting at his natural weight. Ricky, in contrast, will be fighting a couple of weights above what is his natural weight (when he's boxing) and that could be the difference. If he can pull this off, it will be the biggest British boixing success since Lloyd Honeyghan beat Donald Curry at the same weight back in the 80's. It promises to be a classic.