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RICKY Hatton has landed the crucial first blow in the fight against his booze and drug problems.
The ex-world boxing champion has made a "good start" to his treatment just 24 hours after voluntarily checking into The Priory rehab clinic.
Hatton, 31, has pleased doctors with his commitment to his 28-day treatment programme.
His spokesman Max Clifford said: "It's early days but Ricky is already relieved that he has been diagnosed by the medical staff as having depression and a drink problem.
"The good news is they are confident they can sort him out. It's not a drugs situation - that's only about ten per cent of the problem and came on the back of the booze.
"There's still a long way to go but he has made a good start and is feeling better."
Hatton checked into The Priory in Altrincham, Cheshire, on Monday, 24 hours after it emerged that he had been filmed snorting cocaine during a binge in Manchester.
Ricky's father Ray, 59, yesterday said that losing in the ring led to his son's booze problems.
Ray said: "Ricky always wanted to please everybody. When he had defeats, he just felt like he'd let them down and he got more and more depressed, which led him to drink more and more."
Meanwhile, it emerged that Ricky was knocked out in a pub after refusing to give in to a gangster who was demanding £20,000 protection money from him.
He was floored during a charity night at a pub in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on Sunday after an attack by at least two men.
The ex-world boxing champion has made a "good start" to his treatment just 24 hours after voluntarily checking into The Priory rehab clinic.
Hatton, 31, has pleased doctors with his commitment to his 28-day treatment programme.
His spokesman Max Clifford said: "It's early days but Ricky is already relieved that he has been diagnosed by the medical staff as having depression and a drink problem.
"The good news is they are confident they can sort him out. It's not a drugs situation - that's only about ten per cent of the problem and came on the back of the booze.
"There's still a long way to go but he has made a good start and is feeling better."
Hatton checked into The Priory in Altrincham, Cheshire, on Monday, 24 hours after it emerged that he had been filmed snorting cocaine during a binge in Manchester.
Ricky's father Ray, 59, yesterday said that losing in the ring led to his son's booze problems.
Ray said: "Ricky always wanted to please everybody. When he had defeats, he just felt like he'd let them down and he got more and more depressed, which led him to drink more and more."
Meanwhile, it emerged that Ricky was knocked out in a pub after refusing to give in to a gangster who was demanding £20,000 protection money from him.
He was floored during a charity night at a pub in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on Sunday after an attack by at least two men.