By Liam T Smith: So it is all but confirmed that on Friday Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton will officially announce, live on Sky Sports News, he will be returning to the ring on November 24th. The news will not come as a shock as the rumours have been circulating for quite some time now.
As soon as I heard these rumours my instant reaction was one of disbelief. I hoped for his own safety he would stay retired.
Ricky Hatton was once a top fighter who bullishly walked forward taking punches in order to land his own. He fought with a lot of power and even more heart which is why he is still adored by thousands of fight fans. But unfortunately that is about all the praise I have for his ability. He was never the most elegant fighter to grace the sport and he never really grasped the concept of creating a moving target. Ricky never moved his head and with almost every punch he threw he left himself wide open for the counter. In my opinion the ability to ensure you are not taking heavy shots is far more crucial than the ability to land heavy shots of your own. Ricky Hatton however spent his entire career showing us that he disagrees. I have to be clear that I am not writing this to have a go at his fighting style as it is the main reason he is loved by so many. It is an exciting style which has been used in the sport by many world champions including numerous legends of the sport. However it is a style which very rarely produces a prolonged career.
“The Hitman” was far past his best when he was infamously knocked unconscious at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in May 2009. Since then he has been completely inactive for almost three years. It is for this reason that I worry for his health now he is scheduled to get back in the ring. The before mentioned style of “The Hitman” is a fighting style that does not mix well with ring rust and could see him severely injured. Enzo Calzaghe was reported on Wednesday saying that if it were his son, Joe, he would have to take no part of a comeback. He said that although he has, and always will, respect a fighter’s decision if their wellbeing was at risk he could not bring himself to be involved in it.
Now I have to wonder why Ricky has made the decision to pull the gloves back on. With an estimated net worth of 26 million GBP I can only assume it is not money motivated. However with his promotion company struggling without Sky Sports just competing in a few main events could be the boost it desperately needs to take off. It is no secret that Ricky is embarrassed by the way in which he bowed out of the sport. He is also quite openly ashamed by how he fell into a downward spiral after that night. As most fighters will tell you, in fact most sportsmen will say the same, going from competing in a sport that you have loved your entire life to not competing at all is incredibly difficult to process. All time great Sugar Ray Leonard once described the experience as almost like having to come to terms with loosing a loved one. Especially for fighters considering the dedicated life style they have to commit to. Some people turn to unexpected and extreme measures to attempt to fill the void left by the loss of something that has been a part of them their entire lives. So is this a late shot at redemption for “The Hitman”? A chance to leave the sport the way he intended? Or perhaps he is simply attempting to return to the only tried and trusted method he has of making him truly happy. Regardless of the reason I can not help but fear the worst.
I have no doubt this announcement will excite thousands of loyal Ricky Hatton supporters and November 24th will be a guaranteed sell-out. If it is the fight night atmosphere he so badly craves then you can rest assured he will find it in abundance on the night of his return. I for one will be tuning in to watch and look forward to hearing the roar of the crowd as “Blue Moon” plays throughout the MEN Arena. Even though I have repeatedly stated how much I believe this is the wrong move for Ricky and his legacy I wish him the very best of luck and hope that he finds whatever it is he is looking for.
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