In the blue corner of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, jet-lagged English boxing fans in Manchester City jerseys knock back pints and burst into early-morning songs celebrating Ricky Hatton, the inspiration for this intercontinental devotion.

In the red corner of the bustling casino are hard-bitten American cowboys, many in garish rodeo shirts and 10-gallon hats. Their countryman, Floyd Mayweather Jr., is fighting in his adopted hometown — yet some of the good ol' boys rubbing shoulders with the British lads are turning into Hatton fans, one glass at a time.

"All Americans will be Hatton fans as soon as they know Ricky," said Trevor Smith, a pint-wielding businessman from Manchester who flew into Las Vegas without a fight ticket simply for the fun of it. "He's a people's champion. Nobody loves Floyd like we love Ricky — not even his mum."

The National Finals Rodeo is in town this weekend — and so is the circus, in the form of several thousand English supporters of the undersized welterweight shooting for an improbable upset tonight in a meeting of unbeaten fighters.

Mayweather (38-0, 24 KOs) says he's the face of boxing and an A-list star after an outstanding year in and out of the ring. But the crackling atmosphere on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip is mostly due to the presence of Hatton (43-0, 31 KOs), the beloved brawler literally born with two black eyes, in the biggest fight of his career.

From a technical standpoint, Mayweather's superior size, reach and defensive skills make the WBC title fight a mismatch. Though Mayweather's heart has rarely been questioned, Hatton thinks his is bigger.

"I've still never, to this day, looked at myself as a star," Hatton said. "When I'm walking through the casino and I see my face on the posters and (painted) on the blackjack table (felt), I'm taking pictures. I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

BASEBALL

MITCHELL REPORT ON DRUGS DUE NEXT WEEK

Baseball is about to get its official boxscore on the Steroids Era.

The Mitchell Report is due next week, probably Thursday.

It's the findings of former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's 20-month investigation into performance-enhancing drugs, a modern-day Black Sox scandal that has tarnished many of the game's greatest stars and records.

Although some are sure to claim it's one-sided and outdated, it has given players and executives cause for pause.

"Well, it ain't Merry Christmas or Happy New Year for somebody," Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Andy Pettitte formally returned to the New York Yankees, Michael Barrett returned to San Diego and Mark Loretta went back to Houston yesterday when they were the only players to accept among the 17 offered arbitration by their former clubs. ... South Africa's Omar Sandys shot his second straight 4-under 68 yesterday for a 136 total and a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Championship at Malelane, South Africa. ... Elin Nordegren Woods, wife of golfer Tiger Woods, won $183,250 and an apology yesterday from Irish magazine "The Dubliner," that published an abusive article and a faked nude photo of her.