Latest news with #EisaAlDah
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ricky Hatton's Comeback Fight Is Set – Here's What We Know About His Opponent
Ricky Hatton's Comeback Fight Is Set – Here's What We Know About His Opponent originally appeared on Athlon Sports. At 46 years old, it's been over a decade since Ricky Hatton last fought professionally. That long absence made it easy to assume the former world champion had hung up the gloves for good. His last real run ended in heartbreak, and since then, the boxing world has only seen glimpses—an exhibition here, a rumor there. But now, the noise is growing louder, and something real is on the calendar. Advertisement The announcement came during a boxing event in Dubai, with Hatton confirming his return via livestream. The news was first reported by the BBC, which also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the bout's sanctioning and format. Ricky HattonGetty Images He was originally slated to appear in person but suffered a minor eye injury caused by his sunglasses—an accident he described as a 'freakish thing.' Despite the setback, the message was clear: Hatton will step back into the ring on December 2 for a middleweight bout in Dubai. The opponent? Eisa Al Dah, a longtime figure in UAE boxing circles who is also 46 years old, was introduced during the same event. Al Dah holds a professional record of 8 wins and 3 losses, with 4 of those victories coming by way of knockout. His most recent fight was a TKO loss to Pedro Alejandro Delgado in Mexico City back in July 2021. Prior to that, he fought sparingly, with notable wins over opponents like Miguel Angel Munguia and Ignasi Caballero in Dubai. Advertisement His bouts have often taken place in the UAE, and while he's not a globally recognized name, he's been an active part of the region's boxing promotion scene. The matchup brings regional intrigue and promotional value. The bout will be contested at middleweight, and while it's being billed as a professional fight, full sanctioning details remain unclear. Think Tyson vs. Paul—shorter rounds, reduced risk, and spectacle over stakes. It's not just a fight—it's a curiosity. With world titles at two weight classes and a career built on grit and heart, this return revives both nostalgia and curiosity. Hatton's style was never cautious, never polished—just pure chaos and courage. Whether this is a final curtain call or something more, fans now have a date: December 2. The countdown begins. Related: UFC Faces Pressure as Ilia Topuria's Next Opponent Narrowed to 3 Possibilities Related: 'Make Us a Promise' – UFC's Quiet Request to Ilia Topuria Revealed This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
CARVILL'S NOTES: The Return of ‘Hitman' Ricky Hatton
It would seem quite pious to focus on the numbers, but there is no getting around that they are there: 46 years old, a record of 45-3 (32), that TKO in ten, that KO in two. If one was not looking at the numbers, one might also look for dates. No, not the 2 December, for when the fight is set to go ahead, but another: 1 April. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN Because surely it is a joke that Ricky Hatton, now much closer to 50 than he is to 30 and a grandfather, is once more about to step into the ring again. It may be pious, but there is an element of common sense in here: what is Ricky Hatton gaining from this? What are we all gaining from this? The fight is to take place in a few months, at 160lbs (a weight that Hatton has only ever fought at in an exhibition), and it is to be against Eisa Al Dah, who nobody has ever heard of and carries a light record of 8-3 (4). There was a bet made here at Castle Independent in the last few days (okay, it was me) that the fight does not go ahead. It seems as far into uncertainty as Tyson Fury's recent pronouncement that he will face Oleksandr Usyk against at Wembley Stadium nine months from now. In fact, it smacks of little more than a publicity stunt. I suspect that Al Dah has set the fight up, is bankrolling the fight, will fight the fight himself, and then lose. I suspect that it is little more than a vanity project for Al Dah, put out on a streaming service that no one has heard of now or will again. So shame on him. Shame on all of us, really. People will remember Hatton at his peak, when he filled the cauldron that made up the MEN Arena (it is still, to so many, still the MEN, because Hatton was pure Manchester, so his home venue should still be the Manchester Evening News Arena). But what they will not remember – or which they will remember that they need to forget – is much more than the losses (three of them in his last five fights); the battles with weight, drugs, and alcohol; or of how he struggled with Luis Collazo in the first fight of his British Invasion, in Boston, in 2007; or of the bruising, tiring encounter with Juan Lazcano in Manchester, six months after Hatton was stopped by Floyd Mayweather. Hindsight is always 20-20, but through a 2025 lens, that fight against Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium would have been the perfect chance for Hatton to retire: 55,000 fans at home, walking out for the last time with Billy Graham, able to leave the sport of boxing still relatively young and intact. He stayed around too long. He beat Lazcano, then he beat Malignaggi, but then he went up against Manny Pacquiao, and Pacquiao starched him in two, Hatton gulping for air. Then he went away for three years, which is when the drink and the drugs began to take hold, and then suddenly he was back against Senchenko. And some managed to convince themselves, despite the evidence of their own eyes, that the good times were coming back again. They were not, though. Hatton was stopped and dropped in nine, the bodypuncher taken out by a punch to the body. The famed Mancunian who loved his city and its people, dropped in front of them. The man with 'PRIDE IN BATTLE' tattooed on his back, on his knees on the floor, something inside him so broken. There will be those who say that a just world would not have men in their fifth decades fighting each other (Al Dah is also 46). But a just world would require no men to fight each other for the entertainment of others. We cheered on Hatton when he was young and taking damage, but we are hypocritical enough to show the other side of our faces when he is old and taking damage. As I said - shame on all of us, really. And on that note: On 19 July, Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas. There is plenty of precedent for a former champion coming out of retirement at an age that gives many pause. Pacquiao is 46 and, as an adult, free to make whatever decisions he wants to. But even to the casual fan, it is obvious that the Pacquiao of 2025 will be a diminished version of what we were graced with around 2009. Most will remember the limp end of Pacquiao's career, with that final loss to Yordenis Ugas. So it is with some surprise that Pacquiao will be fighting for a 'world championship'. The reason, it seems, lies with the WBC: any returning former champion can ask for an immediate title shot. But is there a statute of limitations on these things? By that reasoning, the 57-year-old Riddick Bowe could ask for a shot against Oleksandr Usyk. As could Vitali Klitschko, aged 53, or Lennox Lewis, aged 59. I have, so far in my 43 years, broken my nose twice. Or, more accurately, other people have twice broken it for me. A shame, as I used to be considered something of a beauty. The achievement in this was that in neither case did these occurrences happen within a boxing ring. The first time was at a nightclub in North Yorkshire when a patron, upon being ejected from the premises, swung her arms backwards and the tip of her elbow collided with my face. The second was in the gym, but outside of the ring, when I was demonstrating on the pads how someone should jab. Something fell in the corner of the gym and both of us turned as the punch was being thrown. Neither of us were following the trajectory of that punch, which also cracked my nose. I have not boxed or sparred in a long time and will most likely never do so again. Therefore, it seems that my nose has managed, on a technicality, to retire undefeated from the ring. Last week saw news break that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr had been detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, with a view to his deportation back to Mexico. Chavez, it seems, has been detained on both weapons charges and irregularities in his visa application. Chavez's arrest came less than a week after he had lost to Jake Paul in Anaheim, California, in a match watched by thousands in the flesh and millions around the world. One has to wonder if the officers at ICE and their superiors are boxing fans and, if so, were just waiting to see the result of the fight first. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ricky Hatton explains exact reason why he is making boxing comeback
The British boxing legend recently announced his return to the ring aged 46, with the former two-weight world champion set to take on Eisa Al Dah in Dubai on December 2 Ricky Hatton has revealed the exact reason why he has decided to come out of retirement and make a stunning return to the ring. The British boxing legend is set to take on Dubai's first-ever professional boxer Eisa Al Dah on December 2. Hatton, 46, has not fought professionally since suffering a devastating knockout defeat to Vyacheslav Senchenko back in 2012 - three years after he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao. Following his loss to Senchenko, the Brit said: "I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it – and I haven't. I found out tonight it isn't there no more." However, Hatton did participate in an exhibition match against Marco Antonio Barrera three years ago, which was a non-scored bout. In response to fans questioning his decision to return to the ring, Hatton took to Instagram to explain his motivations, reports All Out Fighting. He said: "Just a quick statement at how excited I am to be putting the gloves on again on December 2nd in Dubai. I always said after my exhibition a couple of years ago against Marco if another opportunity came up I'd always look at it and weigh up the pros and cons. I have done and this is a good and sensible fight for me. "I'm 47 years old, not unlike my opponent, I'm not 58 years old. I'm not going into world level or straight into a world title fight. I know I'm no longer at world level these days. But I have the good sense to know what fights are good for me and what fights are beyond me. No matter how old we get in life we still have goals, ambitions, targets to set yourself. "We still have to have a reason to get up in the morning. Nobody more than me for my mindset and mental health. There's a very good reason to give me focus and keep me healthy, not the opposite. Why did Mike Tyson fight again? Why is Manny Pacquiao fighting again?" "Why is Paulie Mallanagi fighting again? (Bare knuckle) Why is Shane Mosley fighting again? We're fighters, it's what we do. The fights still some way off still but can't wait to get back in training camp again, train hard and feel good. As I have all my life I look forward putting a show on again for everyone. I appreciate people's concerns, but please trust me, I feel great and it will be nothing but great for me. Love Ricky. X" Hatton was reportedly set to jet off to Dubai this week to announce the fight at a press conference, but an eye injury sustained at an Oasis concert in Cardiff put a spanner in the works. With a professional record of 45-3, Hatton is widely considered one of the greatest British boxing legends in the sport's history. The Brit boasted an impeccable 43-0 record before he faced Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand in 2007, a fight hailed as one of the most significant in boxing history. However, he was ultimately defeated in the 10th round by the pound-for-pound champion. At the height of his career, the 46-year-old - who will turn 47 on the night of his comeback - triumphed over opponents such as Paulie Malignaggi, Juan Lazcano, Jose Luis Castillo and Juan Urango.
The National
6 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Eisa Al Dah says Ricky Hatton fight will put Dubai on the boxing map
After more than six months of negotiations, Eisa Al Dah believes he has finally checked off one of his long-held objectives: putting Dubai on the boxing world map. The Emirati will take on former two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton in a middleweight contest at The Agenda in Dubai on December 2 – a red letter day in the country when it celebrates its 54th National Day. Al Dah, the first Emirati pro boxer and now promoter, has lofty ambitions to turn Dubai into the 'Las Vegas of boxing,' and he believes he's already captured the world's attention with Monday's announcement. 'I have been in this game for a long time and the announcement of Hatton returning to the ring has already created a buzz in the international media,' Al Dah told The National in an exclusive interview. Hatton, who turns 47 in October, held the light-welterweight and welterweight world titles and is returning to the ring after his last professional bout in 2012, where he suffered a ninth-round knockout to Ukraine's Vyacheslav Senchenko. His only other two defeats were against Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao, widely regarded as two of the finest boxers of all time. He has a professional record of 45 wins, 32 by way of knockout, against three losses. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2024. Al Dah, 46, has a pro record of eight wins and three defeats, according to the last of which came against the Mexican Pedro Alejandro Delgado in Mexico City in July 2021. 'It was my plan to stage a big show, and I tried all the big names that I could think of, and finally it was Hatton who agreed. We are about the same age and we both are returning after being out of boxing for a while. 'Now I come back with something very big. I was working for this deal for over six months and we closed the deal with this big champion Ricky Hatton. He's a big name, he fought Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, and he was a great fighter.' The fight with Hatton, slated for eight rounds, is dubbed 'Destiny in the Desert 2" and brings Al Dah full circle – his first bout, also in Dubai, was the original 'Destiny in the Desert' against American Larry Foster in 2007. Having started his journey in the sport with the UAE national team in 2001, Al Dah turned professional six years later, winning his first three bouts before a defeat to Mexican Alfredo Valdes two years later. 'Boxing didn't get the attention it deserved back in my early days and having spent nearly 25 years in the game, I'm in a position now to achieve something more for the sport and for the UAE,' he said. 'I also want to inspire people over here that I can still become a champion at 46. This is my main goal. It's not the money, it's just for the UAE. This is what made me return to the ring,' Al Dah said. 'I want to make boxing so big over here. I want to make Dubai Las Vegas.' Al Dah regularly hosts boxing events in Dubai, promoting upcoming boxers from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco and the Middle East region under his EMD Fight Nights banner. He admits luring Hatton to step out of retirement has not come cheap, but hopes the benefits will be long-lasting for Dubai. 'Of course he's a big name in boxing and he is not coming for free,' Al Dah said. 'You cannot bring a big name without money. It's a good deal for Dubai to benefit as a venue. 'It's not about the money, it's just about history, where one guy from the UAE is taking on a boxing legend.' With less than five months to go before fight night against Hatton, Al Dah says he will set aside his business interests to focus on his preparations for the fight. 'I'll leave all my business work aside and just concentrate on training for the fight. I'll train in the US, training with the best of the best. It's just me and training, that's it,' he said.
The National
6 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Eisa Al Dah: Who is the Emirati boxer who will face Ricky Hatton in Dubai?
In a sport where unexpected comebacks are now so commonplace they barely register, Monday's announcement that Ricky Hatton will make his boxing return in Dubai later this year left us winded as if hit by a trademark "Hitman" body shot. Hatton, widely regarded as one of the most devastating punchers of his era, will take on Emirati Eisa Al Dah in Dubai on December 2 – UAE National Day – in a bout dubbed "Destiny in the Desert 2". Much is known about Hatton, a former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion who has shared a ring with some of the all-time greats, including Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao. Much less is known about his opponent, though. Who is Eisah Al Dah? While Hatton is a household name, few will have heard of Al Dah. For most of his career, Al Dah was not just the face of UAE boxing; he was the only face. He was the nation's first professional boxer, and much was done to build up his career, with financial backing from the Dubai Sports Council. The Emirati, 46, has not fought since losing to Mexico's Pedro Alejandro Delgado by first-round TKO in Mexico City in 2021. His record stands at eight wins against three losses, according to Al Dah made his pro debut in his home city of Dubai in 2007. That scarcely attended bout, dubbed "Destiny in the Desert," at Sheikh Rashid Hall was the first of three successive wins for Al Dah before his first defeat to Alfredo Valdes in 2009. Today, it's hard to move in Dubai without spotting famous sports stars. Elite gyms, coaches and nutritionists are a Google search away. But back then, it was much harder for an aspiring boxer, one who grew up in a country where there was little to no culture of boxing, to find the help he needed to take his talent up to the next level. Limited by the number of sparring and training partners he could call on or the expertise he could tap into, Al Dah knew he would have to travel overseas. "I must improve as a boxer. I can only achieve so much here [in Dubai], this is why I must go to places like the UK to train in the best gyms and spar with the best boxers that I can," Al Dah told The National in 2011. Al Dah travelled to England, where he sparred with Amir Khan, the former world light-welterweight champion, an invaluable experience. "Amir is a great champion and a true warrior," Al Dah said. "Just watching him, the little things; his movement, the angles he throws punches from. Working with someone like that can only be a huge benefit to me." Al Dah would string together three wins fighting on undercards in the UK before a second loss of his career to Anthony Woods in Hollywood. A return to home turf in 2011 saw him claim the UAE World Championship belt, a title created specifically for Al Dah, with a third-round KO of Ignasi Caballero, at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. The following year, he won a points decision over Miguel Angel Munguia, also in Dubai. Nine years later, he would lose to Delgado. That looked to be it for the "Arabian Warrior" until Monday's shock announcement. Why is he doing it? Many will question the legitimacy of a fighter who has not fought in 13 years, one who will be 47 in October, taking on a 46-year-old boxer who has fought only 11 times in his entire career, and against no one even remotely close to Hatton's calibre. Hatton, has shared a ring with some of the most fabled names in boxing. His win over Kostya Tszyu in front of a delirious home crowd at Manchester's MEN Arena in 2005 still conjures memories of a fighter at the peak of his powers: brute strength, raw aggression, and an unbending will to win. But that was 20 years ago. Ironically, the "Hitman" has suffered the same number of defeats – three – as has Al Dah, but Mayweather, Pacquiao and Vyacheslav Senchenko are a different kettle of croissant to Valdes, Woods and Delgado. Al Dah told reporters at Monday's press conference that his fight with Hatton will not be like Jake Paul's fight earlier this year against Mike Tyson, where the pair seemed to have worked out a pre-fight non-aggression pact. "It's not about the money, it's just about the history, where one guy from the UAE is taking on a boxing legend," Al Dah told The National on Tuesday. "I want to inspire people. I did it at my age, 46. This is my main goal; it's not the money. It is just for the UAE. This is what makes me want to get back into the ring." Al Dah has skin in the ring and outside. A promoter and gym owner who hosts regular fight nights through his EMD Fight Night promotion, and will likely stream the Hatton fight on his platform. He admits Hatton is being paid a substantial sum to take the fight, but Al Dah hopes the punt will pay off with more high-profile events taking place in Dubai.
