Would it have been better for Ricky Hatton's health for him to keep boxing ?

I know people say he has done the right thing but the facts are he only got beat by 2 fighters who will go down as greats and if every fighter who got beat by the best retired the sport would die very quickly. When i look at him when he is fit and fully trained he looks alive and a different man compared to his non training/fighting state. I cannot really see how people think taking a few punches is worse for him compared to what he does to his body when not boxing.
Its not just Hatton the same question could be asked of many fighters who without the discipline of the gym do more potential harm to themselves long term than any punch will.

I'm sure Duk koo kim, Michael Watson and Johnny Owen would concur with your theory..

While I can see your point, hogey, I'd have to disagree. The Pacquiao loss, to me, was THE sign that Hatton needed to get out of boxing, not only so that he didn't tarnish his legacy in the ring, but also in order to keep his health. I said the day before that fight that Hatton looked absolutely awful at the weigh in, and I maintain that having to drop 40 lb or whatever in the build up to each fight had left him seriously weakened by 2009. Pacquiao can whack, but he's no Julian Jackson, and the way that left hook absolutely stiffed Hatton confirmed my belief that his punch resistance was going due to weight making. Had he continued, I can only see him taking more beatings of that nature. I think it's certainly the best thing for his health to hang them up; if, in retirement, he decides to dedicate himself to takeaways, Guinness and the devil's dandruff, that's up to him, but at least he has a choice. Faced with an opponent whose only interest is hurting him, that choice disappears.

I know what your saying mate, but how many fighters have had premature deaths from booze, drugs or heart attacks in the last 30 years i would guess many times more than have died or been badly injured in the ring in the same period.

Chris your probably right mate, but why is it when a journeyman fighter gets sparked like that no one says he should retire and most of them keep themselves in great shape, where as Hatton looks much more likely to do real damage to his health over the next 10 years by his lifestyle than taking punches every 6 months will. I suppose the fact he would have to retire sometime in the next few years anyway kills my point somewhat anyway to be fair.

Journeyman don't get sparked like that which is the point, they have a licence because they are capable of defending themselves and more often than not they are stopped on their feet rather than face down on the mat

The difference is... if you win major titles like Federer in tennis and then you start losing.. people want you to retire because you've been at the pinnacle of the sport and don't need the money...What is in it for the guy etc..

Same applies to Boxing...Journeyman need to fight....Great champions if they can't fight at the standard they are accustomed too....What's the point of carrying on..

Hence the retirement call..

Ghost, if you go to small shows all over the world theres journeymen getting sparked left, right and centre mate. Good point Truss, i see where your coming from and 75% agree with you, though part of me still cant help thinking Hatton might go down hill a lot quicker without boxing than with it.

Do they really? Take a journeyman like Peter Buckley lost well over 200 fights but barely ever was knocked out let alone sparked.

I think Ricky could get himself into some bother if he was out drinking all the time but he has his promoting to concentrate on and he should be fine.

I just struggle to see what is left in the game for him, the Manny and Floyd fights proved he was a step below the true elite, no shame in that by any stretch so what is there to carry on for, all he has left is picking up alphabet belts and paydays and in both respects he has had plenty of both.

Also talking purely from a boxing perspective and with hindsight I look at the Manny fight and even when he was on his heels against Lazcano and compare it to the guy who fought Tzysu and have to draw the conclusion Ricky as a fighter had gone a little bit, certainly in terms of punch resistance. If this is indeed the case when coupled with his less than monastic lifestyle and come forward style have to conclude the last place he needs to be is anywhere near a ring.

To be honest think his lifestyle thing is blown out of proportion a bit, he definitely likes a drink and a kebab on a weekend but is he any different to ninety percent of people his age in that respect.

Probably right rowley, i asked the question because your for the most part boxing fans who's opinions i respect and you have all given me a resounding answer. Final result : Well done Ricky you are getting out at the right time, but stay the away from things that will **** you up and concentrate on passing your knowledge on to young fighters.

If Hatton was as dedicated as the likes of Mayweather and Hopkins - i.e. a gym rat. Then I doubt the loss to Pacquaio would have happened in the fashion that it did.

As Chris pointed out, he was weakening himself. The truth is that his body is naturally the way it is now because of the last 2 or 3 years he spent in the sport.

I can't question his dedication to cutting the weight and being up for the fights, he made a name for himself and was a class act when he was truely in shape... but given his natural weight is what he is at now, taking shots from anyone when he's a dry and dehydrated 140-147 is not good for his health.

Even if Hatton chose to continue boxing for now, he would still have to eventually retire sooner or later.

Considering boozing and partying were always a big part of Ricky's lifestyle, he was always going to struggle avoiding these temptations once he hanged up his gloves and had plenty of free time.

Its sad to see him overweight and snorting coke, but its hardly a surprise either. It was bound to happen unfortunatley.

at the time i didnt want him to retire, he got beat by p4p 1 and 2, i would have like to see him fight a few of the other big names in the division, see where his level really was, but with hindsight he probably did the right thing, nobody will slate you for losing to manny or floyd, but anyone else and questions will start been asked. i think his lifestyle drastically speed up his bodys natural development and thats why his punch resistance went down, but as rowley said, he isnt alone by a long shot in his ways.

Funny enough Benson i realised the fact he was gonna have to retire soon either way as the flaw in my point

Just because he's not training intensely for fights anymore doesn't mean he has to live like a slob, get hammered every night and exist on lard pies. There is a happy medium, he can eat healthily and keep himself in shape without being a pro boxer, the guy owns his own gym for gods sake! But he needed to quit, he looked hopeless against manny and had clearly lost his ability to take a punch.

Sugar Boy Sweetie wrote:Just because he's not training intensely for fights anymore doesn't mean he has to live like a slob, get hammered every night and exist on lard pies. There is a happy medium, he can eat healthily and keep himself in shape without being a pro boxer, the guy owns his own gym for gods sake! But he needed to quit, he looked hopeless against manny and had clearly lost his ability to take a punch.

Manny made him look hopeless, Hatton looked a million $ against Malignaggi and was the man @140, i personally wish he'd had one last fight, maybe McCloskey, Peterson, Theophane at the MEN to say thanks and goodbye, he would still destroy all 3 of them in my opinion, he could of gone and got Joe Gallagher to train him in his old gym.