RICKY HATTON revealed that he considered suicide after losing to Floyd Mayweather.
The Hitman (43), will be returning to the ring to take on Marco Antonio Barrera in Manchester, July 2.
Rickty Hatton shared all details about his struggles with mental health in
One of Britain's most feared pound-for-pound fighters, the former champion at light-welterweight and middleweight is now a welterweight.
In an exhibition bout of eight rounds, he will take on the 48-year old Mexican.
In his prime, however, he traveled to Las Vegas with an army of supporters to face Mayweather.
Money stopped Hatton in the tenth round of their 2007 fight. This left Hatton devastated, and ultimately led to mental health problems.
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He spoke out about his struggles with alcohol and his mind after that setback to James English, a podcaster.
"Something, paranoia in my back of my mind was saying to me, "I hope they won't think that I'm growing too big for my boots. I hope they're not going to think I forgot about them. What might have changed? I hope they don’t think they've changed."
"So I found myself nipping to them and, eventually, whereby my first defeat was against Floyd Mayweather. I felt like everyone had let me down. You know what?
Hatton was back in Vegas two years later to face Manny Pacquiao, but he suffered a second devastating loss.
Hatton said, "I was able to fight Manny Pacquiao for the pound-for-pound number one." My confidence plummeted after I was defeated in just two rounds by Pacquiao. I was unable to think clearly. I was forced to quit.
Do you see what I mean?
People would tell you to not go to the bar and get a drink. I don't need to go to the bar to have a beer.
"I would come back from the gym and train my lads, tell jokes, and crack a few smiles. Although Rick seems fine on the surface, I would come in and cry. Crying all day, crying all day
It's the same every day routine, but sometimes I'd just come in with a knife and just sit there, crying and crying and saying 'come on!'
Hatton's fans and the rest of the world are fortunate that the star is now a spokesperson for Tackling Minds, a mental health organization.
Hatton said that Hatton's comeback fight was something he did to improve his mental health.
He stated that he made a comeback many years ago and that his best days as a fighter are behind him.
"But it was very easy to decide to do the exhibition bout when I was asked.
"It's been a difficult time due to Covid, lockdown mental health and - as a lot others - I've lost my family because of mental health in Covid.
"I'm an ambassador to mental health, and they asked if I would like to do one more move at the Manchester Arena to celebrate us coming out of Covid - it was an easy choice for me to make and I replied: "absolutely."
