The Curtain Draws On The 'Hitman's' Career!!

The scene was set, nearly 20,000 fans piled into the MEN arena eagerly anticipating the return of their hero. Once again British boxing was captivated by Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton. As was always the case at his fights the crowd were buzzing, an atmosphere which only Hatton could create. Excitement washed over those in attendance, leaving the MEN arena rocking long before the ring walks started. As the lights turned blue & the trademark ‘Blue Moon’ rang out the eyes of the boxing world were back on Ricky Hatton.

The noise in the arena was thunderous long before his ring walk and whilst excitement washed over those in attendance there was a sense of trepidation in the air. After over 3 years out of the ring & with the well documented troubles he had faced many were wondering just how the former two weight world champion would fare. They received there answer in the 9th round...

A sharp left hook to the body put Hatton onto the canvas and it was immediately obvious to all that he would not be getting up to beat the count, despite the crowd’s best attempts to roar him to his feet. Whilst there had been a couple of glimpses of the old Hatton during the course of the fight it was clear to see that he longer had the tools to compete at the top. Even before the ending came he had been eating up the right jab of Senchenko. There was little in the way of head movement and the once effective body shots were nowhere to be found. Ring rust certainly played a part in the early goings but by the time the fight had got into the later rounds even Hatton himself knew that his struggles were down to much more than that. He was unable to cut off the ring the way he used to & even when on the rare occasion he got on the inside of the Ukrainian he was unable to put together any kind of meaningful attack.

In the ring was a shadow of the once dominant light-welterweight world champion. Of course there was no shame in that, when everything was looked at objectively there was only one conclusion to be drawn. He didn’t have to much right being there in the first place. Here was a guy who had been out of the ring for over 3 years, much of which had been spent living as far removed from the disciplined lifestyle required of a boxer. In front of him was a former welterweight world champion who had been boxing not just regularly but also against opponents of the higher echelons.

If truth be told Ricky probably did much better than one should of. He was at least in the fight and had enjoyed a good opening 4 rounds. Yet as the bout wore on Senchenko had been gradually taking over. He did nothing special yet Hatton struggled to figure him out. Gone was the ability to cut off the ring and walk his opponents onto the ropes. The sharp jab to get on the inside & the powerful hooks had been replaced by wild swinging ‘chancers’ punches. Even Hatton acknowledged it, stating after the fight that ‘I could see people way up top ducking to avoid them’. That sentence, with a glint of irony & humour captured the essence of what was supposed to be taken from the evening.

This was more than a case of whether Hatton could merely compete. It was a night where he was hoping to finally rid himself of the demons which had built up in a turbulent end to his career first time round. Of course he would of liked have gone out on a win but how many boxers ever end on their own terms? This is a sport where most stick around longer than they should. He didn’t end the bout as the winner but this time at least he walked out of the ring senses intact & answers he had sought found.

As he slumped on the ropes, heartbreak etched across his face, the crowd seemingly came alive once more. The familiar sound of ‘there’s only one Ricky Hatton’ began to reverberate around the MEN and applause followed him as exited the ring.

Immediately following the fight Ricky had declared that he would make no hasty decisions. Thankfully by the time he had made his way to the post fight press conference he had finally recognised and seemingly accepted that this should be the end to what has been an incredible journey.

"I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it - and I haven't.," he said.

"I found out tonight it isn't there no more. I'm a straight-shooter and I tell the truth. I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I did my best, but there is always an excuse to find.

"I got in the best shape I possibly could but if I hadn't been hit with that body shot I would have just scraped over the line with a points win and I honestly think I would still be telling you all the same thing."

His words were spoken with brutal honesty, delivered as not just an opinion but a statement of fact. Those in the room could see in his demeanour that an essence of realisation had finally been captured by Hatton. He himself had realised that this was the end & all the signals pointed to him being able to accept that.

Those closest to him would have been awash with relief at his announcement that he was calling it a day. None more so than partner Jennifer, who had been a nervous wreck during the fight & a rock throughout his darkest hours.

This time around there would be no hesitation. He had spent months deliberating his decision when he was beaten by Manny Pacquiao, wondering whether he could have done things differently. He looked for excuses and in the end it resulted in him sliding into a dark, solitary & lonely place. He was insistent that this time would be different.

“I’m a happy man tonight. I don’t feel like putting a knife to my wrists, I don’t feel like cutting myself,” he said. “I’ve got the answers I needed. I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I did my best.
“I needed to have one more fight to put the ghosts and the demons to bed. If you’re looking for excuses you can always find them, under the bed or in a cupboard. But the top and bottom was that I wanted to find whether I’ve still got it, and I haven’t.”

As he left the ring for the final time it was clear for all to see that this was a man who was still loved by the British public. Their support of him was unwavering and there adulation very rarely seen. Here were 20,000 strong showing up for a man who had not only been out of the ring for 3 years but who had, at least in his eyes, let everyone down.

This show of support provided plenty of evidence that it was a belief which couldn’t have been further from the truth. In fact his battle against depression had if anything made that bond to the general public even stronger.
As the curtain draws on his career as a fighter Ricky should look back proud of all he has achieved. World titles were captured in two weight classes and he was an undisputed king at light-welterweight. He gave British boxing some of the greatest nights ever; none more so than his epic encounter which saw him dethrone a Pound for Pound great in Kosta Tsyzu.

Yet perhaps more than that, it is his legacy as one of Britain’s most loved sports men of all time that he should remember.

He never shirked away from a challenge and in an era which has seen plenty of people avoid the best Hatton chased them down, seeking to test his metal against them. His relentless & brutal style along with his attempts to always provide excitement for the paying public should be applauded.

It was these characteristics which connected him to not only boxing fans but the general public. He was a throwback, a man who many could relate to regardless of his wealth & success. As sports people & their way of life became more detached to the normal person he was just another bloke who enjoyed a pint, a pie & a game of darts.

This honesty inside the ring & out which captured the hearts & minds of the American audience. Even now those in Vegas still reminisce on those nights which saw his legion of fans travel across the Atlantic. Never had anyone packed out the strip the way he did...whether it was fight night or the day of the weigh in.
Often boxing fans speak of a need for fighters to capture the imagination of the wider audience. It is a task which is not easy, as shown by the select numbers who are able to do it. In Hatton these shores had a boxer who did that, he provided crossover appeal and gave boxing a huge platform with which to showcase itself on once more.

As he spoke his final words of his retirement speech his aims were clear

‘’Now I want to be the best father I can be to my kids, the best boyfriend I can be to Jennifer and the best trainer and promoter."

It is this kind of attitude which will aid him in his quest to move forward without feeling shackled by the past. With a blossoming stable of fighters under his promotional banner, all of which were showcased Saturday night, he has much to look forward to.

The last time Hatton packed away the famous sky blue shorts his life spiralled into 2 years of binge drinking, drugs & weight problems. A struggle to accept the defeat that had befallen him against Manny Pacquiao, but if the early signs are anything to go by then it is a problem which should not arise this time around.

Of course there will be battles, as their always is with boxers who no longer have their names up in lights, but the hope is that this time he will be able to face them as a person who is finally at ease with himself...and if he needs any help then he only needs remember his closing sentence to his retirement speech.

"You may think this is arrogant but it will be a long time before anyone brings crowds like I brought, and I'm very proud to take that title into retirement."

In that statement he should find solace as a man whose career will go down as one of the most memorable in British boxing. He will long be remembered and will be spoken of as one of Britain’s greatest & certainly most exciting fighters ever...perhaps more than that though his legion of fans will continue to love & support him unequivocally.

seanmichaels wrote:Seems these figures are correct.

Hatton TV - £802K in debt
Hatton Health and Fitness - £600K in debt
Hatton Promotions - £2m in debt
Hatton Independent Traders - £164K in debt

owen10ozzy wrote:Sean -

Bit of info for you, those numbers most likely are correct (what source did you get them from?) ....Ricky has openly admitted to a number of his ventured being in trouble which was in large due to the cancellation of his SKY contract which had left him with contracts which couldn't be kept to and a number of compensation payments to be made.

However his deal with Primetime was believed to be 7 figures once PPV numbers come through which I am sure will help the cause somewhat.

What will be interesting is to see where his promotion company go from here. I think given Quiggs showing there could be some interest from both Warren & Hearn to reach some kind of agreement for a joint deal.

In terms of personal fortune Hatton is more than comfortable. Lets not forget he made north of £12 million combined for the fights with Mayweather & Pacman...plus he managed to sue and win a sizeable amount from Frank Warren!

BallchinianMuffwig wrote:to summerise he's in massive debt then....guess the only other option bar fighting again is to just sell out. TV appearances etc. Cause seeing him swinging and missing and crying afterwards was painful.

AlexHuckerby wrote:He's coming to Leeds soon to a few Hotels, charging £50.00 to have a Q&A session and £125.00 for a VIP ticket.

seanmichaels wrote:

BallchinianMuffwig wrote:to summerise he's in massive debt then....guess the only other option bar fighting again is to just sell out. TV appearances etc. Cause seeing him swinging and missing and crying afterwards was painful.

I just think there are some funny things going on. The fight and irreconcilable differences with his old man (and mother?). Pretty sure he was involved in the business dealings at high level. Probably rinsed him until he got sober......

manos de piedra wrote:If he was coming back for largely financial reasons though you would think he would have plotted an easier course. He would likely have sold out his first comeback fight against almost anyone and could have milked his status for a few easy fights before moving up levels gradually. Hes a good actor if money was his primary reason for returning!

manos de piedra wrote:If he was coming back for largely financial reasons though you would think he would have plotted an easier course. He would likely have sold out his first comeback fight against almost anyone and could have milked his status for a few easy fights before moving up levels gradually. Hes a good actor if money was his primary reason for returning!

AlexHuckerby wrote:Didnt ITV show Amir Khans fight against malignaggi?

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Of course he came back for financial reasons. If he wanted to be a man of the people he would've sold the rights to ITV for a small amount. The arena ticket sales would ensure he isn't out of pocket.

milkyboy wrote:I can well believe money played its part, but as manos says, surely you'd plan a different way back... A few patsies as warm ups in front of full house... It worked before

Owen, would you really say hatton was the throwback, face any challenger fighter you suggest? He was portrayed that way, and I don't question his personal willingness to fight the best, but in my view he was one of the most cynically (well) manger boxers in history. Once champion, every fighter he fought was either a name on the slide or a 'weak' champion. Until the mega fights, where money talked. Not sure junior witter would agree with the assertion that he didn't shirk a challenge. Interested in your views.