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Hatton, 46, announces comeback, ending 13-year retirement

Hatton, 46, announces comeback, ending 13-year retirement

Yahoo07-07-2025
Former multiple world champion Ricky Hatton has announced his return to boxing, 13 years after retiring from the sport.
Manchester's Hatton, who turns 47 in October, will fight the UAE's Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight bout on 2 December in Dubai.
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The fight was announced during a show promoted by Al Dah in Dubai on Sunday, with Hatton confirming his return via livestream.
Hatton, who won world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight, revealed he should have been in Dubai but could not attend after accidentally injuring his eye with his sunglasses.
"I wish I was there but I had a little bad injury on my eye. The main thing is the fight will take place and I can't wait, I'm really looking forward to it," said Hatton.
"It's just one of them freakish things, I caught one of my sunglasses in my eyes and I'm very fortunate it's not done any permanent damage. It's just scraped the surface, so fingers crossed we're good to go."
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Hatton, who won 45 of his 48 professional bouts across an esteemed 15-year career, last fought professionally in 2012, suffering defeat by Ukraine's Vyacheslav Senchenko.
He earned notable world title wins over Russia's Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo among others, before defeats by Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquaio.
Hatton's announcement comes after Pacquiao, 46, confirmed his return - a title bout with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on 19 July - in May.
Al Dah, 46, who has won eight of his 11 bouts, last fought in 2021, suffering defeat by Mexico's Pedro Alejandro Delgado.
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