This coming Saturday over Showtime Cable at 2100 hours it’s unified jr. welter champ Kostya Tszyu defending his IBF strap against undefeated busy-body- punching Ricky Hatton.

When talking styles making fights, what one has in mind is typically this type of pairing - Tszyu the more disciplined in style, with a power right hand waiting to be  unleashed; Hatton the Manchester, England "hitman" with a Brit version of body snatcher.

Many fans and ’net scribblers alike see it a gimme for the Sydney, Australian transplant from Serov, Russia. The resumé an edge they shout, with Tszyu claiming scalps taken from such as Zab Judah, Sharmba Mitchell, Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Rafael Ruelas, JC Chavez, Calvin Grove - all stoppages.

Hatton cannot match the quality of the Tszyu kills, but has a few trophies of his own on the shelf back home in Manchester that ain’t exactly road kill -  Ray Oliveira, Michael Stewart, Joe Hutchison, Freddie Pendleton all went via knockout.

Toss in Hatton younger at age 26 vs. 35, and buoyed by the hometown Manchester lunatics that pollute its soccer field while root-toot-tooting the home team on, and what we got is motivation in the form of adrenalin surges.

Adding to the lure - unlike the Chavez age 90? vs. Ivan Robinson slow pulse, and other assorted club level offerings that went PPV - this Saturday nite special is a Showtime freebie.

The old Skidone whammy says Tszyu by TKO - but guess is it won’t be the last we hear of the Hatton express down the proverbial pike.

GEL