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

[Master]

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

[Dark Lord Al]

He obviously not good at it

[Master]

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.

[Mark TKO]

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

[Master]

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.

[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."

[Dia bando]

Wealth fame and aclame Hatton had it but one thing is missing happynes.
Maybe he will find it down the line mental illness is a bitch hopefully Ricky will one day will be the person he wants to be.!

[El Kabong]

Perhaps something else that it could be as well.

[smashup]

There was one Hatton incident that was hushed up a few years ago when he was found unconscious face down behind some shitty pub in Manchester by his mates

He was covered in 100's and 1000's and chocolate sauce but luckily his mates managed to revive him and get him to hospital.

That was (allegedly) the first time he tried to top himself......

[El Kabong]

There was one Hatton incident that was hushed up a few years ago when he was found unconscious face down behind some shitty pub in Manchester by his mates

He was covered in 100's and 1000's and chocolate sauce but luckily his mates managed to revive him and get him to hospital.

That was (allegedly) the first time he tried to top himself......

That's outrageous! HOW VERY DARE YOU!