Seconds out, Ricky!

Interesting article from Tuesday's Manchester Evening News for anyone who's interested:
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Seconds Out Ricky

Chris Bailey takes time out from the delights of summer sport to plead with the Hyde Hitman to hang up his gloves and retire

As the sun shines and the summer sports transport us to an altogether more tranquil place, perhaps this is not the best time to begin pontificating about the noble art of boxing.

But it is two months now since Ricky Hatton was pummelled into submission by the quicker hands of the Filipino maestro Manny Pacquiao and there is an ominous silence behind the usually open doors of the Hatton camp.

It was no great surprise which Ricky, in the aftermath of his second crushing defeat in Las Vegas told the world in that cheeky, instantly recognisable Manc drawl that he needed time to ponder his future. The hours and days since being humbled in just the second round by the 30-year-old Pacquiao at the MGM Grand were not the right time to make any snap decisions about his career.

However, surely two months is ample time in which to assess the next move and I for one hope that the Hitman has hung up his gloves for good - his good!

No boxer, especially a brilliant champion like Hatton, wishes to go out on a loss like the one he sufferd at the begining of May but there comes a time when there is nothing left to prove and the bank balance is more than ample to last the rest of his days as a retired fighter. Ricky has surely reached that point.

The football season is barely six weeks away and the majority of his legion of loyal fans would surely prefer to see him with son Campbell at the City of Manchester Stadium on a regular basis cheering on his beloved blues than clambering back into the ring hoping for one last hurrah.

There is no shame in having lost to Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather. They are two fighters whose artistry and ability to pick opponents apart in the same way a surgeon slices open his patients stands them apart from mere mortals.

Ricky has to face facts and count his blessings and not allow his pride to get in the way of the only sensible decision and that's retirement.

He owes himself or his vast army of fans nothing at all. Over a dozen years he has entertained and enthralled the British fight public and become famous in places he never thought possible. Some 45 wins from 47 bouts is something to shout from the rooftops about.

No-one could have embraced the sport or its followers any more warmly or fully than Hatton and it would be a crying shame, a travesty even, if he now just became a veteran meal ticket for those with less ability and class. He was a world renowned boxer and that is how those of us with only a passing interest in boxing will remember him. He almost single handedly revived big time boxing in Britain and has without doubt been as good for the game as it has been to him.

There awaits a much less dangerous career for the Hitman in urban fashion, in television, on the after dinner circuit or as a promoter. That is the beauty of the 30-year-old local hero.

He is bright enough, articulate enough and loved enough to make his way in several other walks of life without taking another punch.

No-one would blame Hatton is there was a little voice inside of him telling him to have a last fight in front of his own fans in Manchester, but there is no such thing as a "testimonial" where boxing is concerned, there are no "friendlies" that you can stroll through half-fit and half committed.

Imagine the buzz and kudos, not to mention the cash and cache, for the lucky journeyman who might join the greats Mayweather and Pacquiao as the blemishes on Hatton's otherwise exemplary record.

It can't be allowed to happened and we know that if Hatton won the "goodbye bout" in convoncing fashion there would be a huge temptation for more. Other great champions such as Barry McGuigan and the unbeaten former Welshman Joe Calzaghe have suggested that Ricky should hang up his gloves and maybe he should listen to them rather than the devil that is probably dancing on his shoulder, whispering into his ear in a rather seductive manner.

Hatton has a grounded and loyal support system around him thanks to his parents Ray and Carol and his fiance Jennifer and though they have stood back and said retirement will be Ricky's call - surely they would like the rest of us sigh with relief if the Hitman called a press conference one day and announced, with a tear or two and trademark quip, that it was all over.

The majority of his fans pray that he will not fall into the "just one more" brigade of boxers who do not do themselves, their sport or their reputations any favours at all through lingering too long. So thanks a million Ricky and here's to a new career!
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Thinking about it I can't disagree with too much of that especially the comments about the "testimonial" fight. I did like the faux pas about Calzaghe being a "former Welshman" (so what is he now then, Ugandan?), but tend to agree with the serious points of the article. Comments?

 

Does it really matter? We're boxing fans, not grammar nazis. I copied it out verbatim, but surely this is a minor point.

Re: the thing about being young and healthy, I think that's the whole point. He is at the moment, but he's been fighting well over a decade, has had some give and take wars and is at the kind of age where his outside the ring lifestyle might start to catch up to him. I would like to see him retire before he starts to put that health into danger by staying on too long as so many do. Maybe one final bout if he's going to be wholehearted about it and not just treat it as a carnival like the writer said, but I wouldn't want to see him end up like so many staying on and losing to fighters who would not have lived with him in their prime!

 

His offensive game is still as good as ever, but anyone who has watched him lately knows he is being shaken by shots he wouldn't have done a few years ago and his stamina is not what it was either. Yeah he can live with the Khans and Bradleys. A few years ago he'd have murdered them. I just don't want to see him ruin his resume and legacy in such bouts. I'd still heavily favour him to beat Khan (let's face it he would only need one good shot), but Bradley would be a tough ask at this stage, though doable.

 

Batty Swollocks springs to mind. No doubt that deluded, mentally challenged tool would then be on here spouting his bile about how Hatton was never even domestic level and was just well managed/cheated/made his opponents start at funny times/took on "shot" fighters who just happened to be unbeaten for a decade/whatever today's garbage excuse is!