Former junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton blames depression as the illness that lead him to alcoholism and cocaine addiction.
The boxing world was shocked last week when video surfaced of Hatton snorting several lines of cocaine in the hotel room of female boxing friend Emma Bowe.
Since the scandal, Hatton has issued a public apology and checked himself into rehab at The Priory in Cheshire, England. In his first sitdown interview, Hatton revealed that his depression stemmed for personal shame and embarrassment at his second round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao in May 2009. The defeat, he says, drove him to binge drinking and eventually cocaine.
“I’ve not been able to cope with my retirement,” Hatton told News of the World. “I’ve been binge drinking heavily and dabbling in other daft and silly things. But its going to be the toughest fight of my life, and I’m here to win it.”
After the Pacquiao defeat, Hatton kept a low profile for the rest of 2009 and declined to confirm if he would retire. He explains that the time away was not due to rest, but more so because of disappointment. The Hitman had convinced himself that by losing so decisively, he had let down all his fans.
“[To get] knocked unconscious in front of millions of people in two rounds [was] hugely embarrassing for me,” Hatton reflected. “I found it very hard for the first few weeks to even go out and show my face in public. I was so embarrassed and felt like I had let the fans down. The depression then went into overdrive really.”
The cocaine then became a crutch for Hatton to numb away his emotional pain. But looking back, the Manchester fighter says the narcotic provided no tangible relief.
“The cocaine did nothing for me,” Hatton admitted. “You’re binge drinking and looking for something to fill the void. Now I’ve thrown the gloves up and sat on me backside doing nothing…I couldn;’t say how many times I’ve done it [cocaine]. It’s only been on a few sparing occasions.”
As recently as July, fans still held out hope that Ricky Hatton might make a return to the ring. The rumors gained traction with the news that Hatton had renewed his boxing license. But today, the former champion is able to come to terms with his career being over. He hopes the realization will allow him to move on to the next phase of his life.
“I think I was clutching at straws. I know its gone,” Hatton said of his boxing career. “To get out of this depression, I need to admit to myself ‘it’s over, get on with your life.'”
The entire interview can be viewed here.
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It’s tough to see Hatton like this. Although I’m a writer, I can understand the pain he’s feeling and how depression took him down this road. I imagine the hopelessness I’d feel if I could no longer write. To spend your whole life excelling at something you love only to lose it has to be devastating.
This won’t be a battle he can win alone. I sincerely pray he gets the immediate support he needs from his family. The Hitman already knows the boxing world has his back.
Once he’s clean, I’d like him to continue his promotion activities and possibly get into training. His pro career is over, but that doesn’t mean Hatton’s life with boxing has to come to an end.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 