Ben Tackie has vowed to “cut Ricky Hatton up like a chicken” in their eagerly awaited MEN Arena showdown on Saturday night.

The fierce Ghanaian is in bullish mood after jetting into Britain to provide what is unanimously regarded as the Mancunian’s toughest test to date.

And after stretching world champions Kostya Tszyu and Sharmba Mitchell the distance in decision defeats, Tackie believes Hatton will not provide such stern resistance.

The 27-year-old, who has never been stopped or dropped in his 28-fight career, said: “I want Ricky to come and fight me head to head and not to run.

“I have only seen one tape of him against Vince Phillips but that is all I need to see. I am not worried about fighting him in Manchester – I am an African warrior and I will fight him anywhere.”

Tackie is a member of the same Ga tribe which produced other boxing stars like Alfred Kotey and the great Azumah Nelson. And he insists that coming from such a proud boxing nation ensures he will not be short of support on Saturday night.

Tackie added: “The whole of Ghana is going to be behind me. Pregnant mothers and old pensioners, everybody will be watching.

“The Ga tribe believes that you have to be killed to be defeated. This fight means everything to me and I cannot lose.”