Ricky Hatton: What the Boxing Hall of Fame induction means

For Ricky “The Killer” Hatton, the best moment of his boxing career was the night it all began, 19 years ago this week – his fight against Kostya Tszyu in 2005.

As Hatton, 45, looks back on his career before his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (June 6-9) in Canastota, New York, he ranks the significance of beating Tszyu for his first world title as the highlight of his history. His career.

Hatton was a character in constant motion as he darted in and out of range, unleashing merciless body shots on Tszyu’s body at the Manchester Arena in England. At the end of the eleventh round, coach Johnny Lewis pulled the Australian-based Russian out of the fight while sitting in his chair. Hatton was the IBF junior welterweight world champion, then took his career to another level with six of his next nine fights in the United States.

Despite entering the fight against Tszyu as an underdog in front of 22,000 home-town fans, Hatton dominated the more experienced Tszyu, who was No. 3 in the pound-for-pound rankings at the time behind Floyd Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins.

“People said if I beat Tszyu it would be one of the best wins ever by a British boxer,” Hatton told ESPN. “I think that was my greatest win, looking back, and it opened the door for me to fight in the States. He was known internationally, but for me, people in America were saying who is this little fat kid from Manchester who just stopped Kostya.” Tszyu On his chair.”

With the expectations of his fans and in a fight that captured the imagination of UK boxing fans – Tszyu was also a huge star in Australia at the time – Hatton delivered a tireless performance.

“When I was coming up I had the IBF title, which wasn’t one of the main belts, and my defense was a bit poor, so I was getting interrupted on regular occasions,” Hatton said. “That’s why many people thought Tszyu would win.

“But it was self-confidence. I never stopped believing, and even when I fought Kostya Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, I always believed I would win.”

After Pacquiao stopped him in two rounds in May 2009, Hatton did not fight for three years while dealing with depression and drug and alcohol addiction.

Hatton also rates his losses to Mayweather (2007) and Pacquiao as some of his finest moments, in part because they were both the best fighters in the world.

“Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were the standouts, even though I came in second, they were the best in the business at the time,” Hatton said. “I had those defeats after that but I’m in a happy place now and I’m happy to talk about it now.”

Fighting on home turf in Manchester also has significance for Hatton, and representing his hometown was one of his goals. Hatton remembers three fights in particular that had it all.

“The fight at the City of Manchester Arena (against Juan Lazcano in 2008) was there. The fight with Paulie Malignaggi (2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas) and Noel and Liam Gallagher (from the band Oasis) were holding my hand. The belts that arrived were The ring is also big, I always wanted to be a world champion, I support Manchester City, I loved Oasis, and I fulfilled all of these requirements in my boxing career.

“Stopping (Jose Luis) Castillo, the Mexican known for his shots to the body, with a shot to the body (in the fourth round, in Las Vegas) was another good thing. I beat him at his own game.”

Hatton will also be remembered as a boxer who was hugely popular on both sides of the Atlantic. His self-deprecating humor was the antithesis of the dirty talk and bragging typical of pre-fight buildups. Before the Malignaggi fight, Hatton walked to the ring in a fat suit and robe with the word “Fatman” on the top of his hood, making a joke about his weight ballooning between fights.

Hatton was a high-pressure fighter with some amazing KO victories. Against Carlos Mossa in Sheffield, England, in November 2005, Hatton was in a dangerous situation – a title unification fight with cuts above both eyes.

“I was winning the fight but people were worried about the cuts,” Hatton told ESPN. “My feet actually left the ground when I hit him with the left hook to finish him off (in round 9, by KO). If he got up from that shot, I would be out of the ring.

Hatton (45-3, 32 KO) finished his career with a knockout loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko in November 2012, a comeback three years after being stopped by Pacquiao.

While Hatton won belts at junior welterweight and welterweight, perhaps his biggest accomplishment was his popularity and connection with the fans. When Hatton fought Mayweather, nearly 20,000 fans traveled from the UK to Las Vegas.

“You dream of fighting in Las Vegas, but you don’t think it will ever happen,” Hatton said. “Well, it happened for me. When I first put on gloves, I was watching the likes of Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali in videos.

“I would never have thought that one day my name would be next to them in the Boxing Hall of Fame, ever. I can’t believe it, to be honest. There aren’t a lot of British fighters in the Hall of Fame, so the call-up is unbelievable.”

Hatton said he contemplated suicide amid alcohol and drug addiction after losing Pacquiao in 2009 and before his return in 2012, and that his mental health improved with treatment. Now he manages fighters and gives motivational speeches.

“I’m glad I didn’t take my life when I was suffering, because I would have missed out on so much,” Hutton said.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or experiencing emotional distress, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.