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Former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton has admitted that the end of his fighting career caused him to spiral into depression.
Hatton, whose last bout was against Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, was stripped of his boxing licence last year after apparently being shown snorting ******* in a newspaper exposé. He subsequently checked into The Priory in order to undergo treatment for severe depression and excessive drinking.
Having turned his life around, he will now focus on his Hatton Promotions company, which is heavily involved in Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title fight against Paul McCloskey on Saturday.
But he admits it has taken a long time for him to accept that his fighting days are now firmly behind him. "I wake up every morning and still miss it," he said. "But the good thing I do have is something between my ears despite all the hard fights. If the fire isn't burning to get up at 6am, go running, then spar, diet and make the other sacrifices I have made for so many years, then I've got to call it a day.
"I didn't cope well with not having that feeling any more - of having your hand raised high, hearing the crowds cheer and heading to Vegas. I watched Ringside the other night and they showed a clip of my weigh-in for the Mayweather fight.
"It brought a tear to my eye because every time I see a TV clip, I think 'that's never going to happen again'.
"After the Pacquiao fight I was sulking, depressed and drowning my sorrows. Depression and a few pints is definitely not a very good mixture. I haven't coped well with retiring, but you have to hit rock bottom before you get your a**e back into gear - which is what I've done.
"It still breaks my heart to think I won't fight again, but at least I'm man enough to admit it now."
Hatton, whose last bout was against Manny Pacquiao in May 2009, was stripped of his boxing licence last year after apparently being shown snorting ******* in a newspaper exposé. He subsequently checked into The Priory in order to undergo treatment for severe depression and excessive drinking.
Having turned his life around, he will now focus on his Hatton Promotions company, which is heavily involved in Amir Khan's WBA light-welterweight title fight against Paul McCloskey on Saturday.
But he admits it has taken a long time for him to accept that his fighting days are now firmly behind him. "I wake up every morning and still miss it," he said. "But the good thing I do have is something between my ears despite all the hard fights. If the fire isn't burning to get up at 6am, go running, then spar, diet and make the other sacrifices I have made for so many years, then I've got to call it a day.
"I didn't cope well with not having that feeling any more - of having your hand raised high, hearing the crowds cheer and heading to Vegas. I watched Ringside the other night and they showed a clip of my weigh-in for the Mayweather fight.
"It brought a tear to my eye because every time I see a TV clip, I think 'that's never going to happen again'.
"After the Pacquiao fight I was sulking, depressed and drowning my sorrows. Depression and a few pints is definitely not a very good mixture. I haven't coped well with retiring, but you have to hit rock bottom before you get your a**e back into gear - which is what I've done.
"It still breaks my heart to think I won't fight again, but at least I'm man enough to admit it now."
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