By Rusty Nate: Having returned from my trip to Manchester to watch the comeback and final fight of Ricky Hatton’s career I find myself once again reading bias and borderline prejudice articles (once again written by the same person).

I don’t normally allow emotion to come into my articles so on this instance I will just say one thing. Don’t even bother reading these junk articles from a so called professional writer that is more interested in bashing the fighters personally than embracing the beauty of the sport. The more attention paid the more the articles will appear.

So back to Saturday night…..Wow, what an event! I have been to the Manchester Arena (formally the MEN) many times for Hatton’s previous fights and for other popular fighters but I was completely blown away with the atmosphere on the weekend. Even the famous Michael Buffer was drowned out by the immense roar of the Manchester crowd.

Ok so the fight didn’t go to plan. I am a huge Hatton fan and I always have been but it was clear watching on Saturday that the fighter that forced Kosya Tszyu to quit, the fighter that scared Kelson Pinto from even turning up to fight and the fighter that caused serious damage to Castillio’s ribs with a body shot was long gone.

Ricky won the first 4 rounds by pressure alone but it was clear to everybody in the arena that the magic was unfortunately gone. Ricky’s timing was way off, his footwork was suddenly that of a mortal man and the hand speed that allowed him to land great combinations in his younger days was only quick enough to catch Senchenko with the occasional glancing blow.

I was talking to several fight fans sitting around me throughout the evening and the unanimous view was that even as early as round 4 Ricky looked like he would be beaten by stoppage.

I wrote an article a while back about warriors not knowing when the game is up and by fighting on they are giving the younger fighters an undeserved opportunity to add a high profile scalp to their record. This was exactly what Hatton had just done. The Hatton of 5 years ago would have steam roller’d a fighter like Senchenko with relative ease.

I am not taking anything away from Senchenko at all, he stuck out a rough first 5-6 rounds on Saturday, took some really tough looking body shots and rode out the storm before he took over the fight. I don’t think he will challenge the top guys in the division I am afraid but he has at least made a nice pay packet out of the fight on Saturday and may get himself a rematch with Malinaggi out of it, and if nothing else, he has the bragging rights to say in years to come….”I stopped a man that only Mayweather and Pacquiao were able to do before me”.

It was a great night and a good way for Ricky to thank his fans for the years of support by giving them one more unbelievable night at the Manchester arena, even if the result went wrong. I am glad he has immediately decided to stay away now as another fight against a better boxer / puncher than Senchenko could hurt him seriously.

Lets review, Ricky never beat up his wife or family, he never got into brawls in the street and he never used PED’s. He never threw a cheap shot, he never bit anybody in the ring and he never launched a chair across the ring at a referee.

He simply suffered depression and had problems with weight, drink and drugs on a personal level. It happens to perfectly innocent people the world over, unfortunatley many never claw their way back, Ricky has!

Ricky is a true warrior and ambassador of the sport, we need more fighters like him! He was the most exciting fighter to ever come out of Britain and a man who never let his success change the person he was to his family and friends.

I for one salute you Ricky, thanks for the memories and I hope to see you in the corner in future guiding your fighters to world glory! Lets find more fighters like the Hitman!