Hatton Calls Quits on Career

[Total-Boxing]

Ricky Hatton has supposedly decided to hang up his gloves once and for all!

Ricky Hatton does dramatic U-turn and calls it quits, telling friends he will never box again | Mail Online

As a Hatton fan, I hope this story is true and that he doesn't tarnish his career.

[Violent Demise]

I hope that's false. I know Hatton still has one great KO by left in him

[Gandalf]

That is sad if it is true. I think maybe he is just too lazy to get into decent shape any more. He said he was coming back and then straight away went on holiday for 3 weeks. That is not the sign of a man intent on coming back and proving a point. He's probably had a few lazy sessions in the gym, realised he has no trainer, is fatter than ever, watched Urango get stopped and just thought "What's the point?".

Hatton has had a good career, but you have to wonder what might have been if he had stayed disciplined throughout his 20's like fighters like Mayweather and Mosley. Hatton is 31, but probably aged a few years beyond that point now.

On reflection it is probably the best decision to make. Hatton is obviously not mentally where he needs to be and that means he will be vulnerable against the younger breed of fighters. Hatton at his best beats them, but I'm now convinced that he knows himself that a year out has seen him slip even more.

[CFH]

Good for him. He's was an elite-level fighter and has only lost to the two best fighters of this generation (though I feel he lost to Collazo, but I digress). He'll go down as one of the best JWW's and one of the best British fighters of all time. Maybe the Brits can help me out here, would he be considered the most popular British fighter of all time?

He has nothing more to prove, he can't be hard up for cash, so why not retire at a point where he will still be able to enjoy the fruits of his labours. I thought he would take one last gimme fight in his hometown so he could retire on a high note, but if he doesn't want to box anymore then good for him for resisting the temptation.

[CFH]

That is sad if it is true. I think maybe he is just too lazy to get into decent shape any more. He said he was coming back and then straight away went on holiday for 3 weeks. That is not the sign of a man intent on coming back and proving a point. He's probably had a few lazy sessions in the gym, realised he has no trainer, is fatter than ever, watched Urango get stopped and just thought "What's the point?".

Hatton has had a good career, but you have to wonder what might have been if he had stayed disciplined throughout his 20's like fighters like Mayweather and Mosley. Hatton is 31, but probably aged a few years beyond that point now.

On reflection it is probably the best decision to make. Hatton is obviously not mentally where he needs to be and that means he will be vulnerable against the younger breed of fighters. Hatton at his best beats them, but I'm now convinced that he knows himself that a year out has seen him slip even more.

I think a lot of it has to do with his style as well as his diet and drinking habits. He never had the defensive skill of a Mosley or a Mayweather and he has absorbed a lot of punishment. His chin is not what it used to be and I think that has a lot to do with him retiring.

[pacQ]

thank God...good decision

[Gandalf]

That is sad if it is true. I think maybe he is just too lazy to get into decent shape any more. He said he was coming back and then straight away went on holiday for 3 weeks. That is not the sign of a man intent on coming back and proving a point. He's probably had a few lazy sessions in the gym, realised he has no trainer, is fatter than ever, watched Urango get stopped and just thought "What's the point?".

Hatton has had a good career, but you have to wonder what might have been if he had stayed disciplined throughout his 20's like fighters like Mayweather and Mosley. Hatton is 31, but probably aged a few years beyond that point now.

On reflection it is probably the best decision to make. Hatton is obviously not mentally where he needs to be and that means he will be vulnerable against the younger breed of fighters. Hatton at his best beats them, but I'm now convinced that he knows himself that a year out has seen him slip even more.

I think a lot of it has to do with his style as well as his diet and drinking habits. He never had the defensive skill of a Mosley or a Mayweather and he has absorbed a lot of punishment. His chin is not what it used to be and I think that has a lot to do with him retiring.

Agreed, he has always eaten too many punches and at the top level I think maybe the damage has accumulated. He was never going to build up 20 title defences fighting like he did against Tszyu every fight and Hatton himself knew the warning signs were there, whence trying to adapt his style towards the end, but he was unable to to change really. He still ate punches and Manny made it tell in a rather uncompromising fashion.

I do feel Hatton wasn't quite fighting regularly enough for someone who could so easily get out of shape and in the end losing those pounds looked like it got harder as the years wore on. He was looking really drawn at the Pac weigh in. When half your camp is about losing weight, then you really aren't focussing on learning new skills. At the top level when skills should be coming more into focus, I feel Hatton began to slip and fall into bad habits. It could have been a little better, but taking into account those quibbles I have, he really did have an excellent career.

I hope he decides to at least stay in half decent shape now he's retired because he really doesn't look healthy at all right now.

[TheMacMagician]

Wise decision for me. Diff factors like watching Alexander KO Urango at the weekend, knowing how much weight he has actually put on and also the possibility he might not be able to get down to 140 healthily and also knowing he had real trouble at 147. Just a few factors.....

[Caine3078]

Good decision. I never thought Hatton to be an elite level fighter. To me he was very overrated and when he did fight elite fighters that are still in their prime he was exposed badly.

[Jimmy G-Force]

Everything has got to Ricky of late, he is not a happy camper at all, for so many reasons. His heart isnt in the game anymore, and I'm glad he has decided not to fight again. Without the heart and passion, he'll end up getting seriously hurt, and I dont want to see that.

He flew back from Tenerife last night at 10pm, I'm going to leave it a couple of days then I'll get in touch with him and see how he is doing. I just know from speaking to his Dad yesterday that he is seriously unhappy about alot of things. I also feel unless he lets go of this Pacman KO, he is going to be a very bitter man for a long, long time. Which is a shame.

[Nameless]

No matter what the reason is (if ever it is true), I couldn't be against it, he has enough money to be wealthy and happy as it can be, a little kid that will need dad, 2 bad knock out under his belt... time to call it a day.

[BIG H]

Good decision! The odds were against him. How many fighters have come back from 2 defeats like his and gone on to improve their legacy with subsequent fights

[Hornfinger]

I think he's gone back into the gym and just not had the motivation. Or he'll have started training and weight won't have been coming off as easy as he thought, then going back on to a strict diet etc etc.

And you know what, I don't blame him.

It takes quite a big man to admit they just don't have it anymore, alot of fighters would have been in denial gone through a bad training camp and then an even worse fight.

All this coupled with the fact there isn't really anyone available to train him....

Ricky had a great career. Average fighters don't net 45 million and only get beat by the two pound for pound best in the sport (one of which who could still possibly turn out to be a steroid cheat) who were both in their prime. Calzaghe and many other boxers waited till elite fighters were past their best and then went in with them, Ricky called these guys out.

But I'm glad he has decided to call it a day. I don't think there is anyone left for him to fight anyway.

[El Kabong]

AWWWWW MAN!!! What about Bradley, Alexander, or even Witter?

[Greig]

I think what Hornfinger meant was - nobody left that Hatton can be reasonably sure of beating...