The Return

The loveable Mancunian pugilist Ricky Hatton has announced that he is back on the glory trail as he jacks in retirement and returns to the ring.  Hatton, in many ways a real Working Class Hero, has battled with the drink, the drugs and the depression since leaving the fight game and like many ex-boxers has obviously found the transition incredibly difficult.  He was an all action fighter and his beating of Kostya Tszyu in Manchester in 2005 was one of the fights of the decade.  His subsequent step up in class left him reeling as true world greats Mayweather and Pacquiao exposed his limitations at the very top level.  His strange (but morbidly fascinating) training routine between bouts as he first went on the drink and then trained and sweated down to weight simply endeared him to his fans who saw something of themselves in his flawed character and quest for success.  His comeback will be discussed in great length with pundits urging caution; boxing history is littered with failed comebacks that simply confirmed that once it’s over, it really is over.   Ricky has spoken eloquently and passionately about his personal problems and sees the return as a sort of redemption for past errors.  I hope he leaves “Mr Guinness” and “Mr Moet” out of his entourage this time.