Rumors flying faster than fists for title match

The rumor mill is amping up ahead of Saturday's world welterweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Ricky Hatton.

Concerns about rioting between rival fight fans. Suspicions that someone might poison Hatton's food. Talk of Mayweather's hands being hurt.

These stories seem to be more fiction than fact.

The Metropolitan Police Department will have a presence at the MGM Grand Garden, as is always the case for a big fight, but it probably won't be anything extraordinary.

"We don't plan anything beyond what we normally do," police spokesman Jose Montoya said. "We'll have approximately 100 officers assigned to the fight, which is about what we had when (Oscar) De La Hoya and Mayweather fought."

As for Hatton's health and safety, he has his own chef and security, so the likelihood of his food being poisoned seems minuscule. Hatton had a similar arrangement when he fought Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas in June, and there were no problems.

Mayweather claimed on HBO's "24/7" show promoting the fight that his hands are bothering him. But it probably was a ploy to lull Hatton into a sense of false security.

Hatton wasn't buying it, and Mayweather, who has had issues with his hands throughout his career, said he wouldn't risk the biggest night of his career if he wasn't 100 percent.

"Why would he advertise that he's hurt?" Hatton said. "Floyd's always had problems with his hands. I just hope he doesn't use it as an excuse after I beat him."

Mayweather, who sees a therapist to strengthen his hands, said it won't be a problem. "My hands are fine," he said. "It's not an issue."

• KAMBALA TURNS PRO -- Kaspars Kambala's amateur boxing career was brief.

The former UNLV basketball player is being forced to turn pro in the ring because he played basketball professionally. Amateur boxing rules state a fighter who was a professional athlete in one sport cannot compete in boxing as an amateur. Kambala played overseas in Turkey, Spain and, most recently, Russia.

Kambala, who won both of his amateur fights, continues to train at Richard Steele's gym and said he plans to turn pro Jan. 11 on a card at The Orleans.

Kambala, a 6-foot-9-inch, 260-pound heavyweight, was entered in an amateur tournament in October in Palm Springs, Calif. He learned of the rule after he submitted his paperwork and was not allowed to fight.

"The plan was to have him fight six amateur fights, but, with the ruling, we moved up the timetable," said Warren LeGarie, Kambala's agent. "Richard thinks he's progressed fast enough to where he can compete as a pro."

Kambala said he has come a long way since his amateur debut in July. He has been sparring with former champion Chris Byrd, and Dewey Cooper is helping train him.

"The way I'm moving now, I'm much more comfortable," Kambala said. "Actually, I was relieved when they told me I had to turn pro. It was a steppingstone, forcefully, but I think I'm ready."

• KING VISITS IRAQ -- Promoter Don King spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Iraq, visiting U.S. troops and showing the recent Fernando Vargas-Ricardo Mayorga fight. Mayorga scored a 12-round majority decision Nov. 23 in their super welterweight fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The visit, sponsored by the United Service Organizations, also had King visiting American troops in Germany.

He is promoting the Jan. 19 fight between former champions Felix Trinidad and Roy Jones Jr., and they are planning to visit several U.S. military installations this week, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Monday, Elgin Air Force Base, Hulbert Field Training Base and the Pensacola Naval Air Station, all in Florida, on Wednesday and Fort Buchanan and Camp Santiago in Puerto Rico on Thursday.

"It was an amazing, realistic experience," King said. "We flew in on a Blackhawk helicopter with loaded machine guns."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2913.