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None of my rivals have Hatton's courage - Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather has not knocked out an opponent since December 2007 when he fought Ricky Hatton © Getty Images

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Floyd Mayweather Jnr has hit back at critics who point to the fact he has not knocked anybody out in nearly four years, insisting Ricky Hatton was the last man to show the courage to fight the American.

Mayweather is preparing for a bout with Victor Ortiz this weekend, and he is fully expected to protect his unbeaten record, as well as the WBC welterweight title. At 24 years of age Ortiz has already been beaten twice, including a stoppage at the hands of Marcos Maidana in 2009.

The bigger question for Mayweather in Las Vegas is not so much about whether he will win, but the manner in which he will have his hand raised. Fights against Juan Manuel Marquez and Shane Mosley have gone the distance, with Hatton his last KO success.

That victory came back in December 2007, but Mayweather prefers to credit Hatton rather than accept criticism over his own perceived defensive style. The 34-year-old is arguably the most difficult man to hit in professional boxing, but he insists he would also be far more dangerous if his opponents came to trade blows.

"It's just that these fighters go into survival mode," Mayweather explained. "Once they're down on the scorecard or once they feel they have no chance of winning, they go into survival mode.

"Mosley did the same thing. Marquez did the same thing. These guys go into survival mode.

"Hatton was a little different. Hatton came to fight, and so, I get knock-outs if a guy comes to fight and put it all on the line, but once you get to the pinnacle, you get to Floyd Mayweather - you get to elite level, the guys - they go into survival mode."

Mayweather also defended his 16-month absence from the ring, claiming his unbeaten record is a result of precision planning.

"I'll be off because it takes, even if I fought two times a year, it takes six months to build the fight of this magnitude - to build up before it can be a huge blockbuster in pay-per-view. It has to be the right opponent. We have to have the right game plan."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.