New Hatton retirement hint

The spark wasn't there, reveals Hatton's little brother

Last updated: 12th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

New Hatton retirement hint
He never said anything to me, but I could tell when I saw him in the gym that the spark wasn't there.

Matthew Hatton on Ricky Hatton
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Matthew Hatton has fuelled speculation that his brother Ricky is going to retire by admitting "the spark wasn't there" when he returned to training.

The Hitman proposed comeback was plunged into doubt this week when it was revealed he has not resumed training after a short break in Tenerife - and is still believed to be on the holiday island.

Hatton's manager and father Ray has admitted he "is in the dark" about his son's future, but brother Matthew has given the strongest hint yet that a glittering career may well be over.

"He never said anything to me, but I could tell when I saw him in the gym that the spark wasn't there," he told the Tameside Advertiser.

"He said he was going to fight again and he believed that he would. But everyone is entitled to change their mind.

Dangerous

"It is a very, very hard sport and if your heart's not in it, it can be even more dangerous."

Hatton is said to been affected by the departure of trainer and friend Lee Beard, who has gone to work in America.

But until this week, he was expected to make a return to the ring this summer, over a year after being knocked out cold in two rounds by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

Juan Manuel Marquez had been mooted as an opponent in what many expected to be the Hitman's farewell to his army of fans.

Skysports.com columnist and former world cruiserweight champion Glenn McCrory, a friend of Hatton's, has this week called for him to end his 47-fight career that saw him win world titles at two different weights.

Matthew meanwhile has been given a boost with the news that he will challenge veteran Italian Gianluca Branco for the vacant European welterweight title in Dagenham on March 26, live on Sky Sports and in HD.

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Comments (2)

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Leigh Leverton says...

If ricky doe's decide to retire i would have to say i am a little dissapointed, i did want to see him fight again, the pacman fight was a big dissapointment, wether or not is was true about training camp problems, i personally think he went in there with completely the wrong gameplan, i think he underestimated pacman thinking he just simply could do with him as he pleased which obviously turned out not to be the case as he has proved again more recently against cotto, plus the only sad thing now is seeing ricky looking so bad, not just his weight but health he dosen't look a well man, what ever he chooses to do i will still always be one of his biggest fans.

Posted 13:27 11th March 2010

Mark Townsend says...

I think the 'missing his trainer Lee Beard' comment is a bit wide of the mark. Basically Beard was sacked by the Hatton Promotions team after he'd gotten Matthew's permission to trial for the position of Guzman. Beard was constantly asking Hatton what was the deal with training camp - but others within the team where manoeuvring Beard out and shifting BobShannon in. Fighting after spending a year in bars and nightclubs, under a trainer like Shannon who lacks world class, is a recipe for disaster and The Hitman knows this.

Posted 13:22 11th March 2010
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