Ricky Hatton Hits Retirement

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Ricky Hatton has announced his retirement from professional boxing following his loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko in his comeback fight in Manchester.

After a three-and-a-half year absence from the sport, the 34-year-old was stopped by a vicious left hook to the ribs that left his plans for a world title challenge in tatters.

An emotional Hatton said he would devote his future to his family and his promotional activities after deciding to call it a day despite having initially suggested he may consider fighting on.

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

"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.

"A fighter knows and I know it isn't there any more. It's too many hard fights, I've burned the candle at both ends, I've put my body through the mire in and out of the ring but it doesn't matter how hard I train, I couldn't have done any better.

"I'm a happy man tonight. I don't feel like putting a knife to my wrists. I have got the answers I needed. I got the opportunity and I got the answers and no matter how upsetting it is, I have got to be a man and say it is the end of Ricky Hatton."

Hatton had not impressed on his return to the ring after a three-and-a-half-year absence but he did look to be heading for a points victory.

But Ukrainian Senchenko had begun to dominate the later rounds and a brutal left hook to the body was enough to stop Hatton, with the Mancunian hitting the canvas and failing to beat the count.

In his first fight since losing in two brutal rounds to Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas in May 2009, the 'Hitman' did not show enough to suggest he could return to somewhere near the top of the welterweight division.

The 35-year-old Senchenko is a former WBA welterweight champion - losing his crown in April to Paulie Malignaggi in his only defeat before this.

Hatton was made to look distinctly ordinary at times by a man fighting outside eastern Europe for the first time in his 33-fight career, but roared on by his army of fans, he started predictably fast and dominated his opponent in the opening exchanges.

His punches were occasionally wild but he landed enough to edge the first four rounds.

But by the fifth round Hatton was starting to look a little ragged and Senchenko landed a straight left and then a jolting straight right to rock Hatton back.

The later middle rounds created some concern amongst Hatton's corner and in the crowd as their man began to show signs of weariness and his head movement dropped noticeably.

Senchenko began to have more success, particularly with the right hand, although Hatton continued to press boldly forward.

That proved to be his downfall as he walked into a juddering left hook to the ribs that dropped him to the canvas and left him writhing in agony.

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Hitman Hatton on Comeback Trail

Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton is expected to announce his boxing comeback on Friday.

Hatton, 33, has not fought since suffering a second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009.

The Manchester-based former light-welterweight and welterweight champion formally retired last year and now runs his own promotions company.

But he has called a news conference for Friday and says he will make a "major announcement".

Hatton dominated the light-welterweight division and his most notable win at that weight came against IBF champion Kostya Tszyu in 2005.

The following year Hatton defeated Puerto Rican Luis Collazo to take the WBA world welterweight title, and he followed that victory by beating Juan Urango to reclaim his IBF light-welterweight title.

He lost to Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and suffered a comprehensive beating by Pacquiao in his final fight three years ago.

In 2010 Hatton was stripped of his licence to box by the British Boxing Board of Control after allegations of cocaine usage.

Hatton, who frequently ballooned in weight between bouts, has lost three stone this year and is tipped to return to action with a fight in November.

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Hitman Hatton in Pre Pacman Low

Former boxer Ricky Hatton has revealed how he broke down two weeks before his final fight against Manny Pacquiao.

The 33-year-old believes his pre-fight camp did not prepare him properly.

"I had peaked too soon, everyone in the camp could see I needed a rest. There was one day when one of my sparring partners knocked me on my backside," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

"I came out of the ring, sat on the steps and put a towel over my head and I just started sobbing and crying."

He continued: "They say 'you've over trained, you've left it in the gym' is the most common phrase used in boxing but my god it is the truest.

"All this was two weeks before you fight the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world."

After turning professional in 1997, 'The Hitman', as Hatton became known, went on to dominate the light-welterweight division with his most notable victory at that weight coming in 2005 against IBF champion Kostya Tszyu.

In 2006, Hatton became a two-weight world champion after he defeated Puerto Rican Luis Collazo to take the WBA welterweight world title, and he followed that victory by beating Juan Urango to reclaim his IBF light-welterweight title.

A sensational fourth-round knockout of Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas further increased Hatton's popularity and helped set up his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in December 2007.

Hatton split from long-term trainer Billy Graham after being beaten by Mayweather and returned to the ring with victories over Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi in 2008before taking on the world's pound-for-pound best fighter Pacquiao in 2009.

It was a bout that proved too much for Hatton, who was knocked down twice in the first round before being knocked out cold in the second.

The Hyde boxer retired after that defeat, setting up his own promoting business, but suffered heavily from depression that got to such a stage he considered ending his own life.

"I definitely contemplated suicide," he added. "It was over a long period of time I'd go out, have a night out, come home and I'd be getting the Stanley knife out.

"I'd be sat there with a Stanley knife going 'go on, do it, go on, do it'.

"And I never did, but it eats away at you. Who knows one day I might have turned up and gone ahead with it.

"But it was getting most weeks I'd find myself sat on the settee at stupid o'clock in the morning thinking 'go on just do it'.

"I'm sure people have started off the same way and sadly done it. Thankfully through the support of my family, my girlfriend and everything like that it never got to the stage where I actually went through with it."

Ricky Hatton is 'In the Spotlight' on BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday, 1 March at 1800 GMT talking about his life and career. If you miss the show you can listen again via the iPlayer or download the podcast.