RICKY HATTON is the subject of a new Sky documentary.
The new film will portray the British boxing hero’s rise from humble beginnings in Manchester to world champion status.
It will also explore Hatton’s battle with mental health – illustrating the “depression, addiction and shame” that followed defeats.
Hatton, 48, even attempted suicide as he reached his lowest point, with the behind-the-scenes film, set to air in September, said to be “raw and compelling”.
The Hitman returned to the ring after a ten year absence last November, facing Marco Antonio Barrera in an exhibition bout.
Describing his comeback at the time, Hatton said: “I’ve enjoyed the compliments, people coming up to me with mental health and saying, ‘f***ing hell, Rick, I’ve been struggling with my weight and seeing you shift all that weight has made me want to’.
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“Then other people have said, ‘Jesus, Ricky, seeing you a few years ago with all that weight, suicidal, wanting to kill yourself, heavily drinking, heavily into drugs, the way you were, to see you now, it’s been so inspiring’.
“So I thought it got postponed but it’s not been for nothing. More importantly the second one, 12 November, previously it was on an internet PPV channel, with the cost of living now and spending, the situation that it is.
“I want all fight fans to see my exhibition, me and Marco, unless you could afford a ticket or afford the PPV, otherwise you wouldn’t have f***king seen it.
“Now it’s on Sky Sports, all fight fans will get to see it. Personally I think that was a massive thing, it’s the first training camp I had in 10 years.
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“Now I’ve had two in 10 years. I’ve stayed on top of things, I had a bit of a wind-down. I do 10 rounds sparring, I wouldn’t have been able to in the last time. Now I can.”
Hatton also admitted he would fancy another crack at Floyd Mayweather, having lost to the American in December 2007.
On whether he likes the prospect of an exhibition rematch, Hatton added: “I believe so, Floyd is doing a lot of them. I don’t like to think I’d do it against a YouTuber, he’s the greatest of all time.
“I hope it doesn’t bite me on the a***, I think it won’t. The whole point of these is it’s somebody like Marco. It’s for a lot of people who struggle with mental health, look what you can do.
“I’m sharing the ring with Marco. Not Joe Bloggs. Not to point the finger at YouTubers, if that’s your job, that’s your job. But what the f*** is Floyd doing?
“I’d look at it [if he called me], for the same reason as I’ve said. I’ve been in with Floyd, I thought, ‘Jesus he was good’, to do that again, to share the ring with arguably the greatest of all time, of course I would, I’d look at it. But this my first one.”
Hatton also revealed his joy at still being around to help train son Campbell, as well as being able to be a granddad.
He continued: “I’ve been sparring with Campbell. Which has been brilliant. Very emotional for me. Without boring you, nearly took my life a few years ago.
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“I was in such a bad place. If I had taken my life I wouldn’t have seen Campbell turn pro, or seen my granddaughter, Campbell’s daughter Lyla. I never thought I’d go into a training camp like Campbell, father and son.
“It’s replaced lifting the world title fight, thousands of fans in Vegas. I’ve done some great things in boxing, but that’s up there, it f***ing was, it was so emotional.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
