Thread: Ricky Hatton: 'I tried to kill myself several times'

Ex-world champion Ricky Hatton says he tried to kill himself on several occasions in a battle with depression.

The Briton also talked about the need for boxers to get more help after retiring, when he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Today show, guest edited by Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams.

"I tried to kill myself several times," said Hatton, 38, who retired in 2012.

"I used to go to the pub, come back, take the knife out and sit there in the dark crying hysterically."

Manchester's Hatton, who previously spoke to the BBC in 2011 about attempted suicide and depression, won the world light-welterweight and welterweight titles.

Hatton was stripped of his licence to box in 2010 after admitting using cocaine and retired the next year before fighting once more. He is now a promoter and trainer.

He continued: "There were times when I hadn't had a drink for days and I'd still come home and if something went through my mind I'd start pondering something. It was the same outcome whether I was having a drink or wasn't having a drink.

"But in the end I thought I'll end up drinking myself to death because I was so miserable.

"I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train."


Former world champion Barry McGuigan told BBC Radio 5 live in October that boxing authorities should fund a new foundation to help fighters with mental health issues.

And Hatton feels "more should be done for boxers" with depression, with ex-world champions Tyson Fury and Frank Bruno among other Britons to have suffered with the illness.

"Footballers have an agent who looks out for them and a football club that gets behind them. The Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) can also be there," added Hatton.

"Whereas boxers, it's like once your time has gone it's 'on your way' and move on to the next champion coming through.

"The thing is with boxers, we don't come from Cambridge and places like that, we come from council estates. So in boxing it's very, very hard. If boxing had a professional boxing association or something like that, I think it would be a better place.

"It seems to be happening more with boxers. It's an individual sport so you get in the ring on your own and then when you retire you tend to spend the rest of your life on your own."

'What Fury said was heartbreaking'

Fury vacated his WBO and WBA world heavyweight titles in October to deal with his "medical treatment and recovery".

The Briton, 28, admitted taking cocaine to deal with depression and has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015.

Hatton said he contacted Fury to see if he was all right but said he never got a reply.

"Tyson is a very complex person. When he said what he said it was heartbreaking," added Hatton.

"To think Tyson had become the heavyweight champion of the world and should kick on with his life and his career and for it to go pear-shaped was a real crying shame.

"Having said that, he doesn't help himself in some interviews. If he is in a bad place and is depressed, I hope he's speaking to the right people in order to sort it out.

"As boxers we don't do that. We think, 'I'm Ricky Hatton or I'm Tyson Fury, I can take on the world'. You can take on the world in the ring but this problem called depression, you can't take it on.

"We're out of our comfort zones with depression. I certainly was and whenever I have bad days now I speak to someone to get it off my chest. I have no shame telling that and that's why I'm here today."

Ricky Hatton: 'I tried to kill myself several times' - BBC Sport

He obviously not good at it

That's one way to look at it but another is that he was asking for help. That the depression led to his drinking and drugs.

With the right support and medication with a focus on family/children and boxing he can turn his life around.

not sure whats happening with Hatton these days. Last I heard he was no longer talking to his family - never knew what the fall out was about ??

Is he still with that same girl ? Still promoting ??

I appreciate it must be difficult but find it hard to have sympathy for these sport stars who've earned mega bucks then struggle when it's over

Hatton is training and promoting his stable of fighters, it seems it is one of the things that keep him focussed and on track.

He mentioned his 3 kids but no mention of his wife.

I forgot why he fell out with his dad but think he made up with Billy Graham.

Just throwing it out there, but... could he be suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)?

It's now a recognized brain disease suffered by some former NFL players, which in some cases has resulted in these ex-players committing suicide.
This was the basis for the 2015 movie "Concussion."

Wow sad to hear he's having such a hard go of it outside the ring.

CTE plus substance abuse issues is a cocktail for tragedy! Hopefully he gets the help he needs

Ricky sounds more and more like Bernard Manning.

Originally Posted by TitoFan

Just throwing it out there, but... could he be suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)?

It's now a recognized brain disease suffered by some former NFL players, which in some cases has resulted in these ex-players committing suicide.
This was the basis for the 2015 movie "Concussion."

....was only a matter of time before someone brought up CTE.


Not saying it's right or wrong in suggesting it, just commenting on how that's something that people understand better now I guess. Perhaps in the past it would have been covered over by substance abuse and 'Oh, he just misses the limelight' or 'He's looking for the rush he had in the ring'....I often wonder what damage contact sports have done to me, but then again I have never had 1 single solitary concussion, not one diagnosed anyway. I've had my bell rung quite a few times, but never a concussion.

Autopsy shows former Chicago Bears, Colorado Buffaloes RB Rashaan Salaam shot himself in the head

"Salaam's brother, Jabali Alaji, told USA Today in December that Salaam had "all the symptoms" associated with CTE"




Not that it's related to Ricky specifically but yeah CTE is a big issue

Bellew mentioned the film Concussion today on talk sport radio about the Hatton interview.

And in this conversation you can then bring up styles of fighters....Hatton, a face first brawling pressure fighter.


This also reminds me of Arturo Gatti and his issues in retirement prior to his murder/suicide (I personally think he was murdered, but I don't doubt he had CTE and that caused some issues for him which were exacerbated by a gold digging stripper whore wife and alcohol and possibly drugs).


Mickey Ward has spoken about his troubles after his career in boxing as well.



Oddly enough I've not hear much about LaMatta or when Carmen Basilio was alive, those guys were warriors too....not sure how they lasted so long without CTE or Parkinson's

I think good genetics must have helped those old fighters, you get 90 year olds who spoke and are healthy.

Mutant freaks like Duran.

Originally Posted by TitoFan

Just throwing it out there, but... could he be suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)?

It's now a recognized brain disease suffered by some former NFL players, which in some cases has resulted in these ex-players committing suicide.
This was the basis for the 2015 movie "Concussion."

I wrote a long piece on this very same subject. Remember Daz Southerland, and Valero, and even Arguello. Ricky Womack was the classic case Depression is a terrible thing, CTE in football has resulted in a terrible toll of suicides. CTE is horrific.
Here is the article which appears on another site: http://www.thesweetscience.com/forums/showthread.php?272163407-Concussion-Now-It’s-Boxing’s-Turn

Originally Posted by Master

I think good genetics must have helped those old fighters, you get 90 year olds who spoke and are healthy.

Mutant freaks like Duran.

Maybe or maybe Duran was a bit more polished or took the punches better somehow?


That said I'm all for fighters having the best styles suited for them (and for some it's being a pressure fighter) DEFENSE needs attention, avoiding punches, blocking, parrying, bobbing, weaving...that has to be included in your game!!!