British legend Ricky Hatton recently announced, quite shockingly, that he will be returning to the ring towards the end of the year, this at the age of 46. Former two-division champ Hatton is set to fight Eisa Al Dah in Dubai on December 2. Hatton says it will be a one-fight return only.
And now, today, another surprising announcement from Hatton came. Ricky, speaking with Boxing Now, confirmed the fact that his son, Campbell, has retired from boxing, this at the young age of 24. Campbell, who had some very big shoes to fill, was exciting to watch and it looked for a while like he might go places. Instead, Hatton Jr was twice beaten at central area level, and he now exits with a 14-2 pro record. Hatton lost a good friend of his recently, this in tragic fashion, and as Ricky said of his son, “his heart was not in it” when he attempted to return to training in the gym.
Why Campbell Hatton Walked Away at 24
“No, Campbell won’t fight again,” Hatton said. “As you know, he didn’t have much amateur experience. He gave it a go in the amateurs, and then he went pro and gave it a go. He fought for the Area title and got beaten. I thought he lost it to be fair. But then he fought the same lad straight away after. I thought he won the second one; they were both very close fights. But he lost a little bit of his mojo, and then a few things went wrong. Sadly, he lost one of his best friends, Justin, who passed away at 27. He went through a bit for a time, and he was in the gym, and his heart wasn’t in it.”
Hatton went on to say that he advised his son to leave the sport if he was no longer able to fully commit to the ring. “If you have lost your mojo, you need to get out,” Hatton told his son.
What to Expect from Hatton’s Dubai Comeback
So, Campbell, who will now start a job fitting solar panels, will go back to watching fights, not engaging in them. It’s not easy following a father who achieved so much the way “Hitman” Hatton did, but as Ricky says, his son gave it a go. And both men can be proud.
Now, how will former unified 140 pound champion Hatton get on in his December comeback?