Ricky Hatton announces boxing comeback 13 years after last fight
The 46-year-old former light-welterweight and welterweight champion has announced he'll be going toe-to-toe with Eisa Al Dah from the United Arab Emirates in a middleweight clash on December 2 in Dubai.
Hatton, who has confirmed the contest will be held overeight three-minuterounds, retired in 2012 after losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko, which was itself a comeback afterthree yearsout of the sport.
Originally set to jet off to Dubai to reveal the details of his scrap with Al Dah in person, Hatton had to make do with a video link announcement due to an eye injury caused last week by his sunglasses.
Hatton expressed his disappointment at not being able to attend saying, "I'm really devastated that I couldn't be there with everyone. I'd much rather be in the Dubai sun rather than the Manchester rain. (But) I'm very much looking forward to (the fight)."
Al Dah, who is also 46 and boasts eight victories in 11 bouts, promised fans a thrilling face-off, assuring, "Trust me, this fight will not be like the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight" — taking a dig at the much-criticised fight between the social media influencer and the former heavyweight world champion which took place last November.
Hatton's heyday saw him crowned as the unified world champ in the light-welterweight category after he took down IBF kingpin Kostya Tszyu and WBA titleholder Carlos Maussa in 2005, prior to seizing the WBA welterweight belt in 2006 by besting Luis Collazo.
Ricky Hatton, adored by legions of fans who trailed him to Las Vegas for his bouts against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, endured hardship following his defeats. The boxing losses led him to grapple with alcohol and substance issues and a battle with depression so severe it drove him to thoughts of taking his own life.
Following a comeback fight against Senchenko and culminating in a career tally of 45 victories to three losses, Hatton transitioned to coaching and even participated in an exhibition match with Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022.
In a conversation with 11.11 management on its Instagram platform, Hatton expressed his enthusiasm: "I'm absolutely delighted to say I'm stepping in the ring to give it another go."
"It's been well-documented I've had my struggles but I'm in a really good place now, loving life, trying to bring the next champions through. But the opportunity has come for me to get in the ring and do it again."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
EastEnders star details nightmare turbulence on flight after travel hell while battling with chronic illness symptoms
EASTENDERS star Melissa Suffield has revealed her nightmare journey home from a family holiday while battling her chronic illness. The actress - who used to play Lucy Beale in the BBC soap - was Advertisement 2 Melissa has opened up about her journey from hell Credit: Instagram 2 The actress played Lucy Beale in EastEnders Credit: BBC And it has had a huge impact in her life - which makes her family holidays and quality time all the more precious. But today she has revealed that she had the journey from hell home - undoing the good the holiday did. Taking to Instagram, Melissa wrote: 'I've been a bit quiet because life has been a LOT. The trip away was so restorative but honestly the act of getting home undid it 'The ship didn't make it into the final port of my trip due to very bad weather , but obviously my flight was booked from there! Advertisement Read more on EastEnders 'So booked a flight home from the next available port very last minute, which was a midnight flight, which was delayed by 2 hours because of weather again, and then the ENTIRE 3 hour flight was mad turbulence and lightning out the window I s*** you not. 'I'm not a nervous flyer but I was on that flight. 'Honestly, not a fun experience, followed by only 4 hours of sleep and then a 3 hour train journey home with River and all my luggage. 'On the list of things I simply do not need in my life, this experience was a high ranking one.' Advertisement Most read in Soaps Exclusive Exclusive Melissa added: 'Not aided by the fact that towards the end of the trip, my symptoms started getting worse. 'I think the combination of not eating anything other than steak and potatoes, as well as the stress of making a new very last minute plan and the childcare and everything that went along with that is probably what did it. Former EastEnders star has had '40 doctors appointments' and spent 'over five figures' amid gruelling health condition 'Also my period always makes everything worse- I've actually just had a test arrive that looks at your DNA and hormones to see if I can pin point anything I'm missing. 'But anyway, I am home now safe and sound, I have done all the washing, I've got full control over my diet again, and I've got my boy back. But I am feeling rough in a way that I haven't in a while, so l'm focusing all my energy on resting. Advertisement What is SIBO? SIBO is also known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Melissa experiences nausea, reflux, constipation, and other symptoms like her hair falling out and suffering from dry skin. According to the Symptoms are listed as a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness after eating, diarrhea, unintentional weight loss, and malnutrition. 'I've got a really busy week next week too, so I've really got to try and get back on top of things quickly tbh. But when your nervous system is frazzled, that time limit way of thinking is completely counter productive.'
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Ryan Tubridy shares first snaps with fiancée after engagement announcement as couple enjoy glam day out at Wimbledon
RYAN Tubridy has shared the first snaps with his fiancée since announcing their engagement as the pair stepped out in style at Wimbledon. The Q102 host to his girlfriend, Dr Claire Kambamettu, during a romantic trip to the west of Ireland last month. Advertisement 3 Ryan proposed to his girlfriend Dr Claire Kambamettu last month Credit: Handout image 3 The radio host enjoyed a day at Wimbledon with Claire Credit: Instagram 3 Fans gushed over his sweet post The couple privately in 2023, making their first public appearance together when Claire joined the broadcaster at the Irish Post Awards in . Now, two and a half years on, the lovebirds are set to tie the knot and they couldn't be happier. This week, the happy couple attended Ryan later took to Advertisement READ MORE ON RYAN TUBRIDY They were all smiles as they posed for the loved-up snaps with Claire's sparkling engagement ring on show. Ryan looked dapper in a navy blazer, with a blue shirt and cream chinos. The host tied his look together with a vibrant striped tie and a pair of cool black sunglasses. Claire looked fabulous as she donned a green button-up midi dress that featured short puffed sleeves and a brown belt at the waist. Advertisement MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN Breaking She completed her chic look with a pair of white sandals, a matching shoulder bag, oversized sunglasses and gold jewellery. Ryan captioned his post: "What a wonderful week. Not there today but Wimbledon was a blast." Donncha O'Callaghan has Ryan Tubridy in stitches Fans and friends flocked to the comment section to share their love for his post. Lavinia said: "The most gorgeous couple." Advertisement Emma wrote: "Love this." Deirdre gushed: "Great to see you so happy. Lovely couple." 'CHEF'S KISS' Maria commented: "You both just look so happy." Another added: "Aw, you both look so happy. Delighted for you both. The ring is 'chef's kiss'." Advertisement This comes after the former RTE star live on air. Speaking about their engagement on his "It's a very exciting time to be alive." He added: "It's just the accumulation of a lot of lovely things happening, and I just decided now is the time. Advertisement "More to follow in terms of details and all the rest of it, and by the more to follow, I mean I'll tell my family first."
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kaleb Cooper forced to call 999 after 'reckless' actions of people in field
Kaleb Cooper, the breakout star from Jeremy Clarkson's hit show Clarkson's Farm, issued a fiery warning against the peril of releasing Chinese lanterns amidst the blazing heatwave sweeping the Cotswolds. The farmhand-turned-celebrity took to Instagram on Saturday to voice his shock over the sight of lanterns drifting skyward near Chipping Norton. Using an Instagram video captioned "what is going on in the world" as his platform, Kaleb's message, though visually obscure due to darkness, hit home clearly with his earnest appeal. Upping the drama, he declared: "I've just called this in to 999 but someone has felt the need to light two Chinese lanterns in and around the Chipping Norton area. They are currently floating over the area. I'm looking at both of them as we speak right now." Shedding light on the reckless act amid drought-like conditions, he commented: "But what goes through someone's mind when they decide to light two Chinese lanterns in the middle of a heatwave. We've hardly had any rain since March. Jesus, honestly. What's going on with the world." In the comments section of his post, followers chimed in, endorsing his plea for common sense in these tinderbox times. One fan urged: "People need educating mate. Spread the message." Another backed him firmly, saying: "Well said Kaleb, this could quite easily start a wildfire." A third lamented: "Some people really don't have a clue. The farmer's field next to mine is that dry I can literally put my whole hand down the cracks of the soil." Adding fuel to the fire, a fourth remarked: "They should never do this for any celebration. They let some of these off for a wedding near me. They set fire to someone's house and barn when they landed. Plus livestock can ingest them when they land. It's like balloon releases. It's littering, pure and simple. Should be banned." The Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service takes a firm stance on sky lanterns, as shared on their website: "Sky lanterns are a beautiful sight - but the potential damage they can cause is significant." The advice further notes: "They use the heat of a naked flame to float. They're not only a fire hazard but also a danger to livestock, agriculture, camping activities, thatched properties and hazardous material sites." Highlighting the uncontrollable nature of these airborne hazards, the rescue service cautions: "Whilst ignition and launch are mostly in the control of the user, the actual flight path and end destination are not. There's no guarantee the fuel cell will be completely out and cooled when the lantern lands, so any contact with a flammable surface could start a fire." They've been a menace, causing havoc aplenty, the service observes: "There's evidence of them causing fires, wasting police time, being mistaken for distress flares, misleading aircraft and killing livestock."
