By Sean McDaniel: Gareth Williams, the CEO of Hatton Promotions, thinks that Ricky Hatton (45-2, 32 KO’s) needs to make a comeback to bring back discipline to his life. In an article by Gareth Davies of the Telegraph.co.uk, Williams says “The more time I spend with Ricky, the more I think he will fight again. I never thought I’d say this but I think it is safer for him to fight because he needs the discipline. He’s an all or nothing guy.” Williams probably isn’t the only guy that feels this way about Hatton.

There are a lot of fans who think that Hatton, who without boxing to give his life direction, is hurting himself with overindulging in food and drink. Hatton has quickly ballooned up in weight, putting on nearly 60 pounds of blubber since his last fight a year ago in May 2009 against Manny Pacquiao. Hatton, still young at only 31, perhaps doesn’t understand how dangerous it can be to put on and keep on that kind of lard.

However, if he stays this heavy for long, there’s a good chance that Hatton will soon discover how bad it is when/if he begins to develop heart disease and diabetes. Those are problems that generally occur for obese people like Hatton and it could result in a much shorter lifespan in the end for Ricky.

Since Hatton was flattened in the 2nd round by Pacquiao on May 2nd last year, it seems to have taken away Hatton’s drive for the game. He now seems to have lost his spark for boxing and is constantly saying he doesn’t feel the hunger to return. This seems completely out of character for the younger version of Hatton, who would was stubborn, competitive and not someone to lose interest when faced with difficulties. Hatton has only been beaten twice in his career – once by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and another time by Pacquiao – and so it’s hard to see Hatton as being a shot fighter when he’s only been beaten by two of the very best in boxing.

Williams says “If he [Hatton] had a fight in four months time, he’d have five per cent body fat and would be in phenomenal shape. He needs a target, he needs focus…There are plenty of demons left there after the Manny Pacquiao fight and in Ricky’s mind, there is unfinished business. He was definitely not prepared correctly for the Pacquiao fight.” Williams is correct. Hatton wasn’t adequately prepared for the Pacquiao. He seemed distracted by his problems with his new trainer and looked as if he wasn’t really focused for the bout.

Hatton made things even worse by not following his trainer’s advice, and going out and trying to slug it out with Pacquiao immediately in the 1st round. That was a crazy thing to do, and Hatton paid the price for it being knocked cold in the 2nd round. “Michael Katsidis would be a perfect fight for him” [Hatton], Williams says. “He’s a big name and it would be a good fight for Ricky, and it would be a good fight in England that would work on Sky Box Office.”

Williams has a good point about that. Katsidis would be the perfect opponent for Hatton to come back against. Katsidis is really popular in the UK right now after his 3rd round blowout of Brit Kevin Mitchell on May 15th, which took place at Upton Park. Hatton seems to be punishing himself still for the Pacquiao fight. He can continue do that but unless he gets back in the ring and gives it another shot, he may never be able to put the loss behind him.