Ricky Hatton announces comeback bout after over a decade out of boxing
Hatton, who has confirmed the contest will be held over eight three-minute rounds, retired in 2012 after losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko, which was itself a comeback after three years out of the sport.
The Mancunian was supposed to be in Dubai to officially announce the fight with Al Dah but had to appear by video link instead after accidentally injuring his eye last week with his sunglasses.
He said: 'I'm really devastated that I couldn't be there with everyone. I'd much rather be in the Dubai sun rather than the Manchester rain. (But) I'm very much looking forward to (the fight).'
Al Dah, also 46, has won eight of his 11 fights and he vowed an all-action encounter against Hatton.
He said: 'Trust me, this fight will not be like the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight' – referencing the widely-panned bout between the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the ex-world heavyweight champion last November.
Hatton was a unified world champion at light-welterweight, beating IBF champion Kostya Tszyu and WBA titlist Carlos Maussa in 2005, before claiming the WBA welterweight strap in 2006 by outpointing Luis Collazo.
Ricky Hatton is a former two-weight world champion (Nick Potts/PA)
Huge swathes of fans followed him to Las Vegas as he fought and was beaten by Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, which led to Hatton battling drink and drug problems and a slide into depression that left him feeling suicidal.
After a return against Senchenko and finishing with a record of 45 wins and three defeats, Hatton turned his hand to training although he did have an exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022.
He told 11.11 management on its Instagram: 'I'm absolutely delighted to say I'm stepping in the ring to give it another go.
'It's been well-documented I've had my struggles but I'm in a really good place now, loving life, trying to bring the next champions through. But the opportunity has come for me to get in the ring and do it again.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Derek Chisora claims Daniel Dubois QUIT against Oleksandr Usyk – but offers to help turn him into a ‘killer'
DEREK CHISORA claims Daniel Dubois QUIT against Oleksandr Usyk — but now he wants to help him take up the British heavyweight torch. Chisora was ringside as the Ukraine icon stopped 27-year-old Dubois in the fifth round of Saturday night's undisputed decider at Wembley. 6 Derek Chisora has claimed Daniel Dubois quit against Oleksandr Usyk Credit: Split Decision 6 Dubois was knocked out in the fifth round of the Wembley Bout Credit: PA 6 Usyk became the undisputed world champion with his dominant performance Credit: PA And he knows how incredible Usyk, 38, is after losing a close points decision against him in 2020. Del Boy does not use the Q-word lightly — knowing the stigma and stench it carries in boxing. But he believes ex-IBF champion Dubois — who he sparred with as an amateur lad — can recover and fill the Brit void he, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will leave behind. On SunSport's Split Decision YouTube show, Chisora, 41, explained: 'For me, he quit. READ MORE IN BOXING YELLOW MOAN Fans horrified by woke club's new kit 'designed by Year 11 on work experience' 'The biggest stage of your life, for undisputed, we're in the game of getting hit in the head. You get up and fight again. 'He got up and walked back to his corner, normally. His corner chucked the towel in because they knew he wanted to come out. 'He was supposed to give it one last hurrah before he gets knocked out — just go in there and chuck everything that he could. 'We're in the game of fighting and you have to go to the well when you have to. People have spent hard-earned money to watch you. 6 Dubois was waved off after returning to his feet Credit: AP CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'You just go out on your shield. This is why we're having a go at him because we are gonna say what we need to say: 'You didn't go out on your shield.'' Fury, 36, sent Dubois a message reminding him of his achievements and offering him a place at his Morecambe gym any time. Tyson Fury leaps to Daniel Dubois' defence after Oleksandr Usyk defeat But Chisora feels tough love is the only way to get Dubois' heart as big and powerful as his biceps. And Chisora blasted: 'That's a f***ing bulls*** message as Tyson knows to go out on his shield. 'If you're going to lose properly, you go out on your shield. We just cannot sugarcoat it. 'I've had 49 fights, have you ever seen me quit? Exactly. I just don't know how to quit. Tyson is not a quitter, AJ is not a quitter. Daniel did not get up as he did not want no more. 'They have to fix that. We're not talking badly — but it will happen again and again and again.' 6 Chisora has blasted Tyson Fury's message to Dubois as 'f***ing bulls***' Credit: PA It sounds brutal but Chisora is trying to be kind by being cruel. He added: 'The first time I sparred Daniel was years ago when he was an amateur and he whooped my arse. 'I got him back again . . . and he whooped my arse again. Got him back again, he whooped my arse. 'If he trains differently, he'd whoop everybody's arse. He whooped my arse badly before he turned pro. 'Right now, he trains by himself, but when you hang out with other killers, you want to be a killer. 'He's never going to leave his dad, we don't want him to, we want him to train with other fighters, that's it. 'Dubois was the guy we were trying to hand the torch to. Fury, me and AJ are nearly gone, so he was THE guy — our guy. 'We asked him to represent us and he is that guy.'
Rhyl Journal
9 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Oasis promoters thank Manchester City Council following run of homecoming gigs
The rock band, made up of brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, wrapped up their final night performing at Manchester's Heaton Park on Sunday as part of their reunion world tour Oasis Live '25. The band's highly anticipated homecoming performances – the first in over 16 years, saw thousands of concert goers singing Oasis lyrics back at the brothers, with thousands of ticketless fans gathering outside the concert arena just to hear the band play. Leading up to the concert, the city made it known that the Gallagher brothers were back, as the tram network replaced its announcement voiceover at Heaton Park with Liam's voice on the concert dates while an Aldi supermarket in Prestwich changed a store sign to 'Aldeh', embracing the Mancunian pronunciation of its name. The logistics involved to ensure that the concerts went ahead safely was not overlooked by the concert promoters who recognised Manchester City Council, the emergency services and members of the Safety Advisory team for its support. Rob Ballantine, director of SJM Concerts said: 'We were blown away by the incredible support, atmosphere and success of all five homecoming shows by Oasis. 'They proved they are the most culturally important band in the UK and those concerts will live in the memories of hundreds of thousands of music fans for years to come and will live in the folklore of Manchester music history for decades. 'Manchester City Council played a huge part in the success of the concerts and helped the City embrace the excitement with their promotion of Manchester Live '25 across the city. 'Along with the emergency services and TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester) the safety and comfort of almost 350,000 fans was of paramount importance and a great success. 'SJM Concerts and Oasis want to thank the council, the emergency services and all members of the Safety Advisory Team on a first class delivery of the biggest and most significant music events the city has hosted for many years. 'We would also like to acknowledge the incredible atmosphere generated by the fans who seem to have unanimously decided the gigs were the best nights of their lives! 'It was a privilege to be involved in the huge team of people making these concerts the success they were.' The group announced their reunion tour in August of last year – 16 years after their dramatic split in 2009 which saw Noel quit the Britpop band following a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris. While fans were excited at the reunion, some were left outraged after some standard tickets in the UK and Ireland jumped from £148 to £355. The controversy prompted the Government and the UK's competition watchdog to pledge to look at the use of dynamic pricing. Oasis are set to perform five nights at London's Wembley Stadium before heading up north to Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium followed by Dublin's Croke Park. The group will then head to Japan, South Korea, South America, Australia and North America.
Evening Standard
11 hours ago
- Evening Standard
Oasis promoters thank Manchester City Council following run of homecoming gigs
Leading up to the concert, the city made it known that the Gallagher brothers were back, as the tram network replaced its announcement voiceover at Heaton Park with Liam's voice on the concert dates while an Aldi supermarket in Prestwich changed a store sign to 'Aldeh', embracing the Mancunian pronunciation of its name.
