Ricky Hatton on how boxing became his 'therapy' to escape drugs, drink and suicidal thoughts I did have counselling, when I first went into The Priory, I came out and there was a gentleman I saw for three or four months afterwards on a regular basis to deal with it. I haven't seen him for quite a while because everything's rosy. Me and my girlfriend have an understanding that when anything like that arises, you don't sit there like I have done all my life and dwell on it. "She said "if there's anything on your mind please phone this gentleman, and go over and have an hour with him." That's what I do sometimes, if things get on top of me or something happens. I know I can phone him and go and see him. He was all for my comeback. He saw my enthusiasm. The main thing is we all have problems and I feel a lot better having an hour with him. The return to the ring will be a step into familiar territory. But it could also be an abyss. "It's more of a mental thing, can I put that knockout behind me?," asks Hatton a month out from the fight. Back in his home venue at the Manchester Arena, Hatton faces, in Vyacheslav Senchenko, a former world welterweight champion whose performance may affect Hatton in both the short, and long-term. What will happen if the 34-year-old Mancunian, the most popular British boxer since the war, yields to the long right hand and snapping jab of the tall Ukrainian, unable to exact his game plan? In the lead-up to this contest, Hatton has beaten himself up openly in a series of interviews. He also insisted to his team that he come back at the top. Why shouldn't he after a 47-fight career, five world title belts, and only two losses to the two great fighters of this generation in Mayweather and Pacquiao, who have still not met in a ring? Nobody wanted me to fight this opponent. The team were saying, "What about him ... or him?" I had to said Richard Poxon [Hatton Promotions head of boxing], "How long have you known me? I want to fight somebody that is world ranked, dangerous. I want to fight for world titles and I'm not going to fight for the world titles if I fight Mr Bean at the Manchester Arena. I think that's why boxing fans have always liked me because I've never shied away from a fight or a challenge so I like to think I get a lot of credit for the opponent I've picked. I think we're going down the right route, picking a world ranked opponent, a former world champion, who has lost one out of thirty one. There's a lot of fighters out there who aren't fighting as good as the kid I'm fighting and I've been out for three and a half years. He has spoken avidly of his demons, talked of the estrangement from his parents, and has insisted one more foray will exorcise him of his demons. But are there risks coming back after a 42 month absence at welterweight, a division which he was small in. His successes were at light-welterweight, 140lbs. I think everyone knows the gist of why I'm coming back and why I've chosen to. I feel like I've let everyone down basically. It doesn't matter how many people say "well, everyone makes mistakes Ricky, you've had a great career you should be proud of yourself" but that doesn't mean much compared to what goes on between my ears." "What I've done in my career, I feel has been wiped away in the three years since I've been retired," explained Hatton over a lunch with a small group of people who have been covering his career for a number if years. In my mind, I've won already, in being sat here, from where I've come from. The suicidal thoughts, depression, I nearly lost everything, and more than anything my reputation. I think I flushed that down the toilet, and that's why I want to get back. Whether you agree or not that's how I feel, that's the fellow on my shoulder every day saying that to me and I've got to deal with him. For me its more than a boxing match, win lose or draw on November the 24th. But ultimately, I want to fight for the world title again. But we're not going to know what's going to happen until November 24th. I've got a rough idea but the story I would tell you is that you've heard it all before. Hatton has forged a close bond with Bob Shannon, a veteran local trainer who has links going back to Billy Graham, Hatton's trainer for 45 of his 47 career fights. I'm getting a return to some of the basics with Bob Shannon [his trainer]. In the early days where I used to slip to the side and throw that body shot my old trainer Billy Graham would throw that right hand over the top. But now I'm throwing that left hook to the body and as I'm throwing it, bang, Bob's right hand comes and I have to catch it. If you don't do it in sparring you're not going to do it in the ring and for the last three four years I didn't have that with Billy Graham. His hands were shot. He had to have injections in them all the time. "If you're saying to me - how's my training gone, I'm not going to turn around and say to you "It's been a bag of s***, am I?" I'm not going to waste your time by saying that. No one will know until the first exchanges with Senchenko how Hatton's body has held up. I can't have any thoughts beyond November 24th. People can say - after Nov 24th - "Rick, call it a day," or I'm gonna say to myself "Rick, call it a day, you thought you had it, you haven't." And I could retire comfortably with that. I really could. At least I could say "you know what Rick, you got yourself fit, you scrubbed yourself down and you gave it a go." I could look at myself in the mirror and say to that fellow on my shoulder "See you later."" Brutal honesty. Money is not an issue. It is about personal pride, self-respect, and redemption. I'm not doing it for money. Most comebacks generally are, I've been very fortunate that's it's happening. I have a Leisure Centre in Manchester, a clothing range ..." He looks around the room. Scratches his cheek again. I'm the best I've ever been. I'm a father again, I've got little Millie who's one year and one month. Her being born helped me - it's not just about a comeback from where I was - suicidal, waking up with knives in my bed in the morning, whether I had been on the lash or not. Going to bed with knives wanting to kill myself, to where I am now. I saw my little baby girl and I thought "I want my kids to be proud of me again."" Then there is setting a standard for young boxers he now promotes, several of whom fight on the Manchester Arena undercard. I thought to myself, what sort of an example have I set to these lads when I'm telling them - don't put weight on, don't go above this weight, run everyday, diet. They must have thought "Ricky, are you taking the piss?."" As I went into my role as a trainer I had to get more professional as people were putting their livelihood in my hands. You only get one chance at boxing, and I couldn't look another fight in the face and say - sorry I messed that up for you. My passion is promoting and training. Once I've put my demons to rest - that's the life I want to lead. It makes me very, very happy to get someone a world title shot, which I've done with a few fighters, or a European title shot or a British title, and I see them lift that belt above their waist and they come to me and say "Thanks Ricky I've just paid my mortgage off with that." That's what its all about. It's not a Monday to Friday nine to five job for Ricky Hatton. My advice is not given from behind a desk with a laptop. It's in the gym with the pads on. I'm training fighters now, I'm going to the gym and getting healthier. The comeback is about my health, my frame of mind. I'm hoping this comeback is what's going to make me be able to retire and go "you know what, I gave it my best go, I've come back, I redeemed myself, everybody's proud of me for giving it a go whether that be a win a draw or a loss."" If November 24 goes the way it does go and there are future fights on the horizon, there'll be none of this Ricky Hatton going up to 14, 15 stone again. It was criminal madness. I did it when I was 24 years of age, I can't do it when I'm 34. This is about my sanity. I know I will be able to go into my new job, which is my role as a trainer and promoter, and be a happy man in doing so. Hatton's vulnerability is etched all over his face. Many will be willing him to succeed, not become a soap opera with another fall from grace. I want an end to the Ricky Hatton story. The Ricky Hatton story does not end being knocked out by Pacquiao, and then all that trouble. I don't want it to end like that. Then he lightens the mood, the old Ricky. "A lot of people have said "who'd you think would play the part of you?" I say I'd like to think maybe Pierce Brosnan when I'm not overweight and Johnny Vegas when I am. They'll only write the story if it ends with a happy ending. I'm here to make it a happy ending. Boxing is a passion for me. I can't move on with life in general unless I do stuff. I could have gone and sat on a beach somewhere but I didn't, I wanted to give a little back. If I can give somebody some of the same from a promoting point of view then that's what it's all about for me. Being involved in the promoting, I can imagine myself stood in the corner in a few years time in Las Vegas. I lost that passion somewhere along the line and I want to get it back and redeem myself, win lose or draw. In coming back I think even the harshest Ricky Hatton haters will turn round and say "you know what, fair play to him."" Win, lose or draw, how could anyone really hate Ricky Hatton? He seems to have done that job himself. Honest, vulnerable yet incredibly tough, and having battled against himself, Hatton seeks victory over Senchenko in what could be the sweetest feeling. It is set for an emotional, potentially brutal, night for Hatton, his family, and the hordes who follow him.