Hatton: I'm a Little Older, a Lot Wiser
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27/11/2012 Hatton: I’m a little older, a lot wiser Boxing News 24 hours/day Reload often! | UPDATED TODAY [email protected] Continuously updated all day, every day! Home Boxing Schedule Boxing Rankings Boxing Press Links Boxing Results Español Fightnews Team BOXING NEWS Hatton: I’m a little older, a lot wiser By Robert Hough Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, who returns to the ring Saturday after 3½ tumultuous years, vowed Monday that however far and long his comeback goes, there’s clean – or at least considerably cleaner – living ahead in the months and years ahead. Hatton (452, 32 KOs) will face former WBA welterweight titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko (321, 21 KOs) at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, in a 10round welterweight fight that will be broadcast on Showtime. “I was known for ballooning up, putting on 30 or 40 pounds between fights” said the 34yearold who openly enjoyed long nights and food that would give a cardiologist a heart attack. “It was absolutely criminal for me to do that at 24 years of age. I can’t be doing that at 34 years of age. I’m becoming older, becoming wiser.” If things go well on Saturday, the plan is to keep active and fit, and fight more than twice a year, the native and resident of Manchester, England said in a raw, candid conversation. Hatton stepped away from the sport and spoke of falling apart after Manny Pacquiao decimated him with a nasty secondround knockout on May 2, 2009. “It was hard for a man who had so much pride in himself to get destroyed by Manny Pacquiao,” he said. There were suicide attempts, a nervous breakdown, a moment when his girlfriend took a knife from him when he was trying to slit his wrists, days and nights full of tears, he said. “I was having to tell my girlfriend, ‘I need a hug. Help me, please, I’m scared.’” About six months ago, the comeback plans took shape as life improved mentally and physically, Hatton said. “I feel I’ve let a lot of people down and I’m here to put a lot of ghosts and feelings to rest,” he said. So far, so good – surprisingly good in fact, Hatton said. “I’m doing better than ever in the gym,” he said. “I was a bit surprised. I don’t expect people to believe that, but I hope they’ll give me a chance. I wondered what it would feel like the first time I got hit on the chin and the first time I got hit on the chin, I liked it.” There will be more of the same aggressive style, Hatton promised, with a little more intelligence. “Ultimately my aggressiveness and overaggressiveness landed me in trouble against Floyd Mayweather and Manny. I live by the sword and die by the sword so I’ll be going 100 miles an hour, but I’ve got to be smarter and show a little more maturity.” Contact the author November 19th, 2012 For all the latest boxing news, click here. www.fightnews.com/Boxing/hatton‑im‑a‑little‑older‑a‑lot‑wiser‑150191 1/2 27/11/2012 Hatton: I’m a little older, a lot wiser 11 comments Add a comment Evan Price · Top Commenter Hatton is going to have a huge target on his forehead for young guns wanting to make a name for themselves. Someone like Rios or Trout probably. He SHOULD just fight this guy, then maybe Junior Witter, and maybe try luring De La Hoya into a big money finale. Reply · 2 · Like · November 19 at 11:45pm Cleto Reyes Gear · Top Commenter · University of Tulsa Good luck, Hatton! You still can beat top 10 welterweights. Just keep up the good work! Reply · 1 · Like · November 19 at 1:54pm Chris Healey · Top Commenter hatton is a fighter who I respect a great deal, since he isn't one of these poms who sits at home complaining that no big names will come and fight him ‑ he went over and made his defining fights happen. fightnews.com on Facebook however, with his well‑publicized lifestyle, I can't help but feel that this comeback will end badly for Like 8,200 him and past indiscretions will catch up to him quickly. best of luck to him anyway. 8,200 people like fightnews.com. Reply · Like · November 19 at 2:34pm James F Kemsley John Prince Ramiro Jackson Avin typical yank, always bemoaning about english fighters, tell alexander to come out of the US to fight our next superstar kell Brook too!, hatton wins no probs Reply · Like · November 21 at 3:21am Chris Healey · Top Commenter Isaac Courtney Mohamed Yannick Nitza except i'm no yank, james... Facebook social plugin if you dont realize yet that cuddling up to HBO and showtime are a fighters ticket to getting his big fights ‑ as well as getting away from that self‑centred leech, frank warren ‑ then you'll be bemoaning your homegrown fighters who stay in britain for years to come Reply · Like · November 22 at 6:36am Torres Miguel · Top Commenter · Golden West College there's only one ricky hatton one ricky hatton! walking along singing a song walking in a hatton wonderland! walcome back champ I'm glad you got over your little trip you were going threw! Reply · Like · November 19 at 2:10pm Alma Beltran · Top Commenter · CBTIS 146 I hope some he gets his chin busted for good. Reply · Like · November 19 at 3:22pm [email protected]· Top Commenter (signed in using Hotmail) oh snap! Reply · Like · November 20 at 4:10am James F Kemsley do some cooking luv, ... Reply · Like · November 21 at 3:22am View 6 more Facebook social plugin All contents copyright 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 by Freitag Marketing Services, LLC. The information on this site cannot be reused without written permission. www.fightnews.com/Boxing/hatton‑im‑a‑little‑older‑a‑lot‑wiser‑150191 2/2.