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Ricky Hatton's former trainer Billy Graham has claimed it was the boxer's decision to end their 11-year partnership and described the news as a "huge blow". Contesting the Hatton camp's version of the split, Graham said he did announce his retirement but only after Hatton met him on Monday to declare that Graham's days as his chief cornerman were over.
"I was sacked," Graham said, "but if Ricky wants to finish with me that's entirely up to him. As a result I have decided it is a good time to retire. I'm not going to get into a slanging match with Ricky because we've been through too much together. I always said I would retire when Ricky finished and I had hoped to stick it out to the end.
"We've spent half our lives together and we've changed each other's lives. It's a fantastic story and I'm not going to ruin it by bad-mouthing him. I wish him all the best for his next fight."
Hatton will return to the ring without Graham - who has trained the Hitman for all his 45 contests in a professional career than began in 1997 - for his next fight against Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on November 22. "It's not over between me and Ricky just because I'm not training him anymore. I'll be there and I'll be urging him on. I just won't be in his corner - that's the only difference," Graham said.
"I was sacked," Graham said, "but if Ricky wants to finish with me that's entirely up to him. As a result I have decided it is a good time to retire. I'm not going to get into a slanging match with Ricky because we've been through too much together. I always said I would retire when Ricky finished and I had hoped to stick it out to the end.
"We've spent half our lives together and we've changed each other's lives. It's a fantastic story and I'm not going to ruin it by bad-mouthing him. I wish him all the best for his next fight."
Hatton will return to the ring without Graham - who has trained the Hitman for all his 45 contests in a professional career than began in 1997 - for his next fight against Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas on November 22. "It's not over between me and Ricky just because I'm not training him anymore. I'll be there and I'll be urging him on. I just won't be in his corner - that's the only difference," Graham said.
Graham looks like he does lots of drugs.
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