Ricky Hatton
Richard John Hatton MBE (born 6 October 1978) is a British former professional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and has since worked as a boxing promoter and trainer.He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2005 by defeating Kostya Tszyu for the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Ring and lineal titles.Making his welterweight debut in 2006, Hatton won a tough fight against WBA champion Luis Collazo to win a world title in his second weight class.In the same year, Hatton had his career first defeat against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an attempt to win the World Boxing Council (WBC), Ring and lineal welterweight titles.[11] Hatton has been lauded as one of the most beloved and popular British boxers of all time, with a raucous fan base that travelled in their tens of thousands across the Atlantic to support him."[17] Aged 14, Hatton was taken by his uncles Ged and Paul to Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium to watch the second fight between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank.[18] Hatton had a short amateur career, in which he won seven British titles and represented his country at the 1996 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.[20] Hatton was based at Billy "The Preacher" Graham's gym in Moss Side,[19] where fellow boxers included Carl Thompson and Michael Gomez.Hatton won by a technical knockout (TKO) in first round,[21] while in his second fight he boxed at Madison Square Garden in New York, as part of the undercard to Naseem Hamed vs. Kevin Kelley.[28] On 5 June 2005, Hatton defeated IBF and The Ring champion Kostya Tszyu, then widely regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world by a TKO after the Australian failed to answer the bell for the twelfth round.On 26 November 2005, Hatton won the WBA light-welterweight title when he defeated Carlos Maussa in the ninth round of a unification bout.[30] Hatton relinquished his IBF title on 29 March 2006 after refusing to fulfil a mandatory defence against number one contender Naoufel Ben Rabah because he intended to move up to the welterweight division.[31] Hatton signed a three-fight contract with Dennis Hobson's fight academy after splitting from long time promoter Frank Warren.Hatton's promoter, Dennis Hobson, stated that the impetus for moving back down was to set up a fight with José Luis Castillo, a fighter who nearly beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. at lightweight in 2002.On 24 May 2008, Hatton beat Mexican Juan Lazcano by UD with scores of 120–110, 118–110, and 120–108,[44] in front of his home crowd of 55,000 (a post-World War II record for a boxing match in Britain),[45] at City of Manchester Stadium to retain The Ring and IBO light-welterweight titles."[53] On 14 September 2012, Hatton confirmed he would return to professional boxing with a fight against an unnamed opponent scheduled to take place in November that year.Ever since Hatton turned professional, he always opted to eat a full English breakfast before fights – his favourite place in Hyde is The Butty Box in Mottram Road, where he was interviewed by Gabby Logan for Inside Sport; and is known to drink Guinness on Thursday night when he plays darts for the New Inn.[66] Hatton appeared on ITV1's daytime show Loose Women in August 2007, stating that the reason he put on weight between fights was because "I have a lot on my plate at the moment.[51][73] Hatton hosted the 9 November 2009 edition of WWE Raw at the Sheffield Arena, defeating professional wrestler Chavo Guerrero in a match.[74] On 13 September 2010, Hatton was admitted to a rehabilitation facility, The Priory, in Roehampton, London, England, for substance abuse to tackle a drink and depression problem.Hatton and his girlfriend, Jennifer Dooley, lived in his house, the "Heartbreak Hotel", named after his favourite artist, Elvis, in Hyde.[80] On 12 September 2010, the Sunday tabloid News of the World published a front-page story alleging Hatton has been a regular cocaine user with accompanying pictures showing the boxer apparently using the drug.Hatton was also recently a special guest speaker for The Toby Henderson Trust at a sportsmans' dinner at the Gosforth Marriott Hotel.[89] On 1 December 2023, Hatton guided Chloe Watson to a unanimous decision win over Justine Lallemand to claim the vacant European female flyweight title.
StockportGreater ManchesterLight-welterweightWelterweightOrthodoxprofessional boxerboxing promotertrainerThe RingBoxing Writers Association of AmericaBritishWorld Boxing UnionKostya TszyuInternational Boxing FederationlinealCarlos MaussaWorld Boxing AssociationLuis CollazoInternational Boxing OrganizationFloyd Mayweather Jr.World Boxing CouncilManny PacquiaoVyacheslav SenchenkoInternational Boxing Hall of FameHattersleycouncil estateHyde, Greater ManchesterfootballRochdaleyouth teamentrance musicManchester City"Blue Moon"Manchester UnitedOld TraffordNigel BennChris EubankStanley knifeamateurAIBA Youth World Boxing ChampionshipsMoss SideCarl ThompsonMichael GomezWidnestechnical knockoutMadison Square GardenNaseem Hamed vs. Kevin KelleyGiuseppe LauriJon ThaxtonBritish titleTony PepRicky Hatton vs. Kostya Tszyupound-for-poundupper echelonsunificationRing Magazine Fighter of the Yearmandatory defenceNaoufel Ben RabahFrank WarrenJuan UrangoLas VegasNevadaJosé Luis Castillolightweightunanimous decisionThomas & Mack CenterParadise, NevadaFloyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Ricky HattonOscar De La HoyaTito TrinidadMGM Grand Garden ArenaJoe CortezRicky Hatton vs. Juan LazcanoJuan Lazcanoboxing matchCity of Manchester StadiumRicky Hatton vs. Paulie MalignaggiPaulie MalignaggiFloyd Mayweather Sr.Buddy McGirtManny Pacquiao vs. Ricky HattonFreddie RoachNevada Athletic CommissionStaines-upon-ThamesTommy HearnsEnglish breakfastGabby LoganInside SportGuinnessJake LaMottaLoose WomenFriday Night with Jonathan RossMichael ParkinsonBarnsleyBarnsley Football Clubre-incarnation2007 New Year Honourslive chatNuts TVWWE RawSheffield ArenaChavo GuerreroThe PrioryRoehamptonsixteenth seriesDancing on IceGlossopPeak DistrictMatthew HattonCampbelltrust fundNews of the WorldcocaineHaughton GreenMarriott HotelBarnabusChristmas songWinter WonderlandEnglish footballPro ToolsHatton PromotionsPaul UptonLucas BrowneDamien HooperZhanat ZhakiyanovAdam Etches