Tonight, live from Las Vegas' MGM Grand, the same building where he lost his only fight, Ricky Hatton (44-1 31 KO) returns to America to defend his 140 lb title against Brooklyn's crafty "Magic Man," Paulie Malignaggi (25-1 5 KO). With a new trainer in his corner, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., can "The Hitman" rekindle the fire and relentless body punching that brought him to the top of the junior welterweight division or will the wiley pretty boy Malignaggi have other plans for Manchester's beloved son?

Paulie Malignaggi is a peculiar fella. With limited power, outrageous arrogance and flamboyance (his dredlocked weave had to be cut mid-match in his last outing because it wouldn't stay put in a rubber band!), and the cajones to stand toe to toe with anyone Malignaggi isn't your typical hit and run boxing technician. Certainly he is quick. Certainly he has good whiskers. And certainly he has skill. But what Malignaggi lacks is the cautious demeanor that has generally proved the deciding factor for the world's best with similar attributes. But Paulie is a showman and running isn't in his repetoir. But neither is losing.

Ricky Hatton, on the otherhand, is a brutal body puncher who often lunges in to hold, jostles on the inside, and then unloads a series of midsection hooks and uppercuts. It is a formula that has worked well for him in his career until he stepped up in weight and class and lost to pound-for-pound superstar, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. That bout found Mayweather landing at will as he tip-toed around the over aggressive Hatton peppering him with an array of hooks and straight hands. That was an exciting contest and one in which Hatton remained competitive even as he was outboxed and inevitably knocked out.

My prediction: Paulie Malignaggi by Unanimous Decision after out hustling, out throwing, and out boxing Hatton.

I believe Hatton has seen better days. In his last bout against decent but hardly outstanding Juan Lazcano, The Hitman was nearly knocked out late after winning virtually every round. Malignaggi doesn't have the power to KO Ricky, or pretty much anyone for that matter, but he does have the quickness, skills, and fortitude to throw and land at will on the lunging Hatton. Lazcano landed at will and he is slow. A monsoon of feather fisted direct hits is precisely what I foresee happening as Paulie schools the fading Hatton over 12 rounds.

Whether Hatton still has something left in the basement, tonight will prove one way or another. He made his money in the Mayweather bout so now he's fighting for pride. Malignaggi, still on the way up, is fighting to make a name for himself. And when he defeats Hatton, he just might find himself ascended to the big time.