Ricky “Hitman” Hatton returns tonight on Showtime, after a three year layoff from boxing, Hatton wants to give boxing another chance. The last time Hatton fought in the ring was 2009 when he was devastatingly knocked out by Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in two rounds. After losing to Pacquiao he went into a downward spiral of drugs, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Hatton felt the Pacquiao loss was humiliating and was very difficult to cope with so he started letting himself go ballooning in weight and doing hard drugs to take away the pain, even going as far as contemplating suicide over it. After he was secretly videotaped doing cocaine and it was all over the tabloids, Hatton sought help and had to get over some of the demons that were lingering, he dropped 70 pounds, sobered up, and got inspired again by his children to to make them proud and this time give his all win or lose in the boxing ring.
For his comeback Hatton (45-2, 32 KOs) will fight former WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko (32-1, 21 KOs) in a 10-round non title welterweight (147 pounds) clash at the Manchester Arena (formerly known as M.E.N Arena) in Manchester, England. Senchenko is a stiff test for Hatton, he held the WBA welterweight title until losing it to Paulie Malignaggi in April of 2012, and has the boxing skills to take advantage of a ring rusted Hatton. A Paulie Malignaggi rematch is possible for Hatton should he beat Senchenko.
Watch Ricky Hatton vs. Vyacheslav Senchenko live on Saturday, November 24, 5:00 PM ET/PT on SHOWTIME.
