Enjoying the Oasis comeback gig on Friday with a drink in hand, Ricky Hatton was also busy planning his own unexpected return to boxing.
The Hitman, a popular figure from the nineties, was scheduled to fly to Dubai over the weekend to announce his first professional fight in 13 years.
However, the former world champion, known for facing boxing`s elite, suffered a setback not from a punch, but from accidentally poking himself in the eye with his sunglasses. This bizarre incident required hospitalization and delayed his travel.
This peculiar mishap is likely to be remembered as one of boxing`s strangest injuries, leading Hatton to be taken urgently to Manchester Royal Eye Hospital where doctors advised against flying.
According to a source close to the 46-year-old Hatton, “Ricky is a huge Oasis fan. A car arrived to take him to their gig in Cardiff. He grabbed his bags, hurried into the car, and tried to put on his sunglasses, but ended up poking himself in the eye.”
“It pierced the protective surface of his pupil, exposing the nerves, which caused the pain.”
“He didn`t realize how severe it was until Saturday morning. He was rushed to the hospital, given painkillers and ointment to aid healing, and artificial tears for dryness. He`s recovering now.”
Consequently, Hatton had to announce his December fight against Eisa Al Dah, also 46, known as the “Arabian Warrior,” via Zoom instead of in Dubai as planned.
Commenting on his upcoming fight, Hatton stated, “It`s widely known I`ve faced difficulties, but I`m in a great place now, enjoying life, and focused on developing future champions.”
“However, the chance has arisen for me to step back into the ring and compete again.”
Reactions from fans on Ricky`s X (formerly Twitter) post were varied.
Past Struggles
One user commented, “Couldn`t you just go on a show like `I`m A Celebrity` if you need some cash, mate?”
Another fan replied, “I`ll definitely be watching, Ricky. You`ve always been one of my favourite fighters.”
So, why is the former four-time, two-weight world champion choosing to put himself through the rigors of fighting again?
The reality is, like many boxing greats, Hatton found it challenging to replicate the intense physical and emotional high of professional fighting after retiring in 2012.
He openly struggled at times, marked by periods of heavy substance abuse, prolonged drinking sessions, and the end of a long-term relationship.
This represented a significant downturn for Ricky, originally from Hyde in Greater Manchester, who had once headlined major events in Las Vegas.
Growing up on a council estate, Ricky left school to work as a carpet fitter alongside his father, earning £150 a week, before starting his professional boxing career.
Recalling the December 2007 fight in Las Vegas against Floyd Mayweather Jr., considered one of history’s best pound-for-pound fighters, was arguably the defining night of Ricky`s career.
That fight became a defining moment for the Manchester native`s career and his subsequent life outside the ring.
Before the fight, Mayweather provocatively taunted Hatton, saying, “I wish I was in prison with you. I’d make you my bitch.”
Ricky, known for his wit, responded, “It’s the first time another boxer has threatened me like that.”
“But I like to think I have a fantastic backside.”
At Ricky`s suggestion, the England football supporters band was flown in to play his theme song, “Walking in a Hatton Wonderland.” This irritated Mayweather`s team.
During a pre-fight press conference, the author personally conducted the band`s performance of the theme song, which resulted in him being physically removed by members of Mayweather`s entourage, including a towering figure named Fonz.
At that time, Hatton was a huge draw. More than 6,000 British fans traveled to support him at the MGM Grand, and over two million watched on pay-per-view.
Sir David Beckham visited him in his dressing room, and Sir Tom Jones sang `God Save The Queen` before the fight.
Hatton walked to the ring accompanied by `Blue Moon`, the anthem of his cherished football club, Manchester City.
A place in sporting history seemed within reach. The ringside crowd was filled with Hollywood stars like Denzel Washington, Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Will Ferrell, Gwen Stefani, and Jude Law.
In the tenth round, Mayweather Jr. landed a devastating left hook, sending Hatton staggering to the floor. Ricky managed to stand up, but his legs were unstable.
The referee arguably should have stopped the fight then, but Mayweather was permitted to knock him down again before the bout was finally ended.
The author recalls looking at Hatton`s girlfriend at the time, college lecturer Jennifer Dooley, who was seated near the ring.
She had told the author before the fight, “The last thing I tell Rick before a fight is, ‘See you afterwards for a drink.’ Then I kiss him and say, ‘I love you.’ It’s a very emotional moment.”
Now, she was crying as Ricky lay on the canvas.
A testament to Hatton`s standing at the time was that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt offered him comfort in his dressing room after the fight. It marked Ricky`s first defeat in 43 professional fights.
The severe physical toll taken by the legendary Mayweather was something Hatton found difficult to recover from.
Nevertheless, he returned to the MGM Grand in Vegas in November 2008 to face the Italian-American boxer Paulie Malignaggi.
He invited fellow Manchester natives, Liam and Noel Gallagher, to carry his world title belts into the ring alongside him.
Hatton remembered, “You could tell they were a bit nervous; they`d clearly never escorted a fighter to the ring before.
“They asked, ‘What should we do, Rick? What are we supposed to do?’ I told them, ‘Get in the ring, hold it up, and put it right in Malignaggi`s face.’”
“So Noel got in, then I entered the ring, followed by Liam.
“Then Liam walked right past me and Noel, went straight up to Malignaggi, and said something like, ‘What do you think of that, you d***head?’, pushing the belt into his face. I thought, ‘That`s not exactly what I had in mind, Liam.’”
Liam then proceeded to walk around the ringside area where Malignaggi`s fans were seated, giving them his characteristic two-finger salute.
“It was truly classic Liam. However, some of Malignaggi`s supporters at ringside were not people you`d want to provoke.
“They said, ‘We love you Ricky, but the rock star needs to be careful, very careful, because he has disrespected us.’”
“I was thinking, ‘Liam is going to get us all killed here!’” Ricky ultimately won the fight in the eleventh round.
His next opponent was the Filipino boxing icon Manny “The Pacman” Pacquiao, widely considered among the greatest boxers of all time.
Returning to the MGM Grand in May 2009, Pacquiao, the only fighter in history to secure 12 world titles across eight different weight classes, knocked Ricky down twice in the first round before finishing him with a knockout in the second.
This was another brutal defeat for a skilled boxer who simply came up against a talent on an entirely different level.
Motivation
Ricky`s approach to training involved rigorous preparation before fights, followed by gaining weight rapidly afterwards through takeaways and beer.
His weight sometimes increased significantly, leading to mocking nicknames like “Ricky Fatton.”
He told the author before the Mayweather fight, “It`s not the usual way to train, putting on a lot of weight and drinking beer, but it works for me.”
This lifestyle was not conducive to a long career.
In 2010, at the age of 31, he reflected, “Boxing began as a routine and eventually provided me with some money and made me a slightly better person.
“But I don`t believe I`ll fight again.”
“Currently, I don`t have the motivation or desire to train for a fight.”
Hatton wisely concluded his professional career with a record of 45 wins and just two losses.
Crucially, his health and mental faculties remained intact.
However, he struggled with depression stemming from his two significant defeats and attempted to cope through alcohol and cocaine, nearly leading him to suicide.
In 2010, following a ten-hour binge in Manchester where he was filmed using cocaine, he admitted himself to The Priory clinic in Cheshire.
At the time, Ricky admitted, “I have experimented with the drug a few times.”
“The only times I`ve used it are when I was so depressed or drunk that I thought, ‘Go on then.’”
Alcohol became a significant coping mechanism, with Ricky stating, “I`d stop for three pints on Monday through Thursday, then on the weekend, I`d drink maybe eight or ten pints of Guinness on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.”
In November 2012, he sought refuge by returning to his cherished boxing ring. His comeback fight was against Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko, who knocked Ricky out in the ninth round.
“I made my comeback for reasons beyond boxing,” he explained, “it was to battle my personal demons.”
He announced his retirement once more.
In 2016, he and Jennifer, the mother of his daughters Millie and Fearne, ended their 11-year relationship.
His son Campbell, 24, from a previous relationship, is also a professional boxer.
Now single, Ricky remains a popular and busy public speaker. He has also worked as a trainer and manager for boxers, including Tommy Fury.
In 2024, he participated in the show `Dancing On Ice` alongside his longtime friend, actress Claire Sweeney, and they briefly dated.
The relationship didn`t last, with Claire commenting, “We`re still friends. We were friends, we dated, and now we`re friends again. Everything`s fine.”
Now, the call of the ring has returned, and his opponent, the aging Eisa Al Dah, is not comparable to Mayweather.
Soon, the sounds of “Walking in Hatton Wonderland” are expected to echo through Dubai, marking what could be the second significant comeback story of the year.
Oliver Croft