The recent Hatton stuff has been a bit distressing. What he did wasn't big or clever and at the least he has likely been drinking far too much for his own well being, but I am glad he appears to have admitted there is a problem and has gone into rehab. I saw that video with his mum and dad, and you have to admit that though they likely knew he was drinking too much, they probably didn't expect to see him shovelling that stuff up his nose like he was. It was a shocking piece of footage. At least with Calzaghe it was all swagger and talk. With Hatton he was there shovelling it right up.

Also as I cast my eye around the boxing forums, I notice that far too many are really, really laying into Hatton and pulling him to pieces right now. Some of the threads, particularly over at Eastside are nasty and drag that place further down and below the gutter. I think it is right to be critical of the way Hatton has conducted himself, but I do think there are limits. I mean, he gets drunk and has likely snorted a few lines. We have all done that (except maybe for ICB), but to do that to excess is to lead to destruction and that is perhaps where Hatton has gone too far. The drinking has certainly become more than rumour.

We sometimes look up to the fighters we follow and this is perhaps a mistake and that's where it is all the more shocking in the case of Hatton. He has always presented himself as 'one of the lads' and a man that likes a pint, but to be a reckless alcoholic? You just prefer not to consider that. I remember reading somewhere in his autobiography that he was against drugs. So, to suddenly see him doing that too and along with all the photos and video out there on the web of him post Pac, it really makes you wonder what he has been up to.

But regardless, we can all speculate and criticize, but what I would like to do here is to simply make a positive thread for all the Hatton fans to gather round and support their fighter. He is currently in rehab and no doubt having to re-evaluate a lot of things in his life. I don't think it will hurt to send a little bit of positive energy out there to combat all that horrible negativity I see floating around. Ricky is one of Britains great fighters. He had a great career and though it didn't all fall into the great scheme he no doubt had in his head, he should take pride in it all and try to come to terms with things. No doubt he knows he could have done better against Pac, but it is what it is and it's water under the bridge. And likewise this whole scenario can be water under the bridge too. So let's all unite behind Hatton and wish him well on trying to piece his life back together and get back to some kind of normality.