By John F. McKenna (McJack): This article is not written with the intent of trashing Ricky Hatton. After all, “The Hitman” is one of the most likeable and popular fighters ever to come out of England. There is a natural inclination by fans and fighters alike that makes them want to forget why they retired in the first place.

For Hatton as it is with most fighters who have been out of the ring for a few years, the memories of past glories are magnified as time passes. On the other hand the defense mechanism built into our brains tends to downplay the harsh reality of what happened to cause a fighter to retire in the first place.

In essence the mind plays tricks on all of us. Otherwise, why would an alcoholic or a drug addict endlessly repeat the folly of what ruined their lives. The end result is always the same. It’s like that for a fighter too. What on earth would make a fighter want to return to the ring when he determined years ago that he no longer had what it takes to be a champion? It is illogical for any athlete to think that he can retire and then come back to regain past glory after he has aged.

The late great Sugar Ray Robinson upon witnessing the KO of his good friend Joe Louis in his last comeback attempt against Rocky Marciano in 1951 solemnly told reporters that what happened to the “Brown Bomber” would never happen to him. He went on to say that he would know when it was time to retire and would not fight on after his skills had diminished.

But Robinson too could not resist the temptation to give it another whirl after he retired the first time. Sugar Ray moved up to the light heavyweight ranks in an attempt to wrest Joey Maxim’s title away from him. The “Dancing Master” as he was sometimes referred to, had worn the welterweight crown and then moved up to take the middleweight title from the “Bronx Bull” Jake La Motta on February 14, 1951 in what boxing writers have forever referred to as the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”.

With no more worlds left to conquer Robinson decided to move up yet again in the attempt to take Joey Maxim’s light heavyweight title on June 25, 1952. Robinson, far ahead on points collapsed from the effects of the heat in the 13th round.

Sugar Ray then retired from the ring. It took 2 ½ years for Robinson to succumb to the same call that plagues every once great fighter. The once flawless fighter who had no visible weaknesses was no more. Robinson lost his 2nd comeback fight and many more after that. He did eventually win back the middleweight title, but the fighter who had 121 wins and just one loss when he stopped the “Bronx Bull” in 1951 was losing almost as many fights as he was winning by the time he retired for good.

It is worth noting that Sugar Ray maintained his physical conditioning in the attempt to launch a dancing career during his first retirement. Still it took him five or six fights before he had his timing back.

Sugar Ray Robinson is considered by most boxing experts to be the greatest fighter who ever lived. Yet even he could not reverse the inevitable.

Many will argue that Hatton at 33 has the chance to once again be a champion. But oftentimes boxing fans are as blinded as the fighters themselves by the notion that their heroes can one again rise to the top. And it must be pointed out that the weight gain and alleged drug abuse will almost certainly impede the success of Ricky Hatton’s comeback attempt.