‘Needed one more fight’ – Ricky Hatton comeback ended in tearful KO which sparked new retirement

Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton is making a comeback at age 46 to face Eisa Al Dah in Dubai on December 2. Given Al Dah's limited experience with a record of 8-3 and Hatton's historical fighting prowess, this match could heavily sway punters towards betting on Hatton for a victory, though his age and past struggles may also introduce uncertainty.

Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton has announced his second comeback from retirement, as he gears up for December return. The development was revealed while Hatton was live-streaming during a show promoted by Al Dah in Dubai on Sunday.

Hatton will return aged 46 for yet another comeback bout.

He will take on Eisa Al Dah, who has a professional record of 8-3, on December 2 in Dubai at the age of 46.

“I’m very much looking forward to it,” he said. “What [Al Dah is] trying to do there for boxing in Dubai is fantastic.

“Hopefully this will be a spin-off for more events for you to have over there and hopefully we can get the ball rolling with a bang.”

But The Hitman is no stranger to a retirement announcement following a comeback fight. Having won world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight, Hatton had a perfect record until he was floored by Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007.

Following his first career defeat, he had two unconvincing victories against Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi before he was outclassed by Manny Pacquiao.

In 2011, three years after his loss to Pacquiao, Hatton announced his initial retirement from the sport.

He then came out of retirement a year later, for a 10-round welterweight fight against Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester.

The Mancunian’s return from retirement resulted in his first ever defeat on home soil. When Senchenko unloaded a mighty left shot to Hatton’s ribs which left him unable to get on his feet for the final count, the bout ended in the penultimate round.

Hatton’s comeback in 2012 ended in tears and pain against Senchenko. His tearful comeback also marked the first time that he had stepped into the ring since his brutal second-round knockout at the hands of Pacquiao.

“I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it – and I haven’t. I found out tonight it isn’t there no more,” Hatton shared in the post-fight press conference. Emotions ran high as he explained: ”I can look at myself in the mirror and tell myself I did my best, but there is always an excuse to find.

“I got in the best shape I possibly could but if I hadn’t been hit with that body shot I would have just scraped over the line with a points win and I honestly think I would still be telling you all the same thing.

Following consecutive knock-out defeats, Hatton announced his second retirement at the press conference.

He said: ”A fighter knows and I know it isn’t there any more. I got the opportunity and I got the answers and, no matter how upsetting it is, I have got to be a man and say it is the end of Ricky Hatton.”

Hatton had a more successful return in an exhibition in 2022 against Barrera. Hatton did then enter the ring once more, in 2022, to participate in an exhibition boxing match with Marco Antonio Barrera. Although the eight-round contest at the AO Arena in Manchester had no official winner or loser.

Now, 13 years later he is once again making an official return to the ring, from what was presumed to be his final retirement.

His opponent, United Arab Emirates’ first-ever professional boxer Al Dah, made his debut in March 2007 against Larry Foster.

Al Dah’s only fight since 2012 resulted in a TKO loss against Pedro Alejandro Delgado in July 2021.

After only facing obscure competition on and off since 2007, the 46-year-old is now set to fight Hatton in December.

Hatton’s professional record currently sits at 45-3 ahead of his second return from retirement.

Talksport