Fighter retires, saying 'It is the end of Ricky Hatton'

Former junior welterweight champ Ricky Hatton, of England, announced his second retirement following Saturday night's Showtime-televised ninth-round stoppage loss to ex-WBA welterweight titleholder Vyacheslav Senchenko, of Ukraine, before Hatton's fans at the sold-out Manchester Arena, according to the Associated Press.

For Hatton (45-3, 32 knockouts), the loss to Senchenko (33-1, 22 KOs) ended a three-and-a-half-year ring absence, representing his third setback -- all by stoppage -- in his past five fights.

Hatton, 34, had lost by knockout to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao in December of 2007 and May of 2009, respectively, with his last win being an 11th-round stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi (32-4, 7 KOs) in a 140-pound bout in November of 2008.

In victory, Senchenko rebounded from April's ninth-round knockout to Malignaggi that dethroned him as WBA 147-pound beltholder.

"I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it, and I haven't," said Hatton, who led, 77-76, on the cards of judges Oliver Brien and John Keane, and, 78-74, on that of the third judge, Robin Dolpiere, at the time of the knockout.

"A fighter knows, and I know it isn't there anymore. It's too many hard fights, I've burned the candle at both ends. I've put my body through the mire, in and out of the ring. But it doesn't matter how hard I train. I couldn't have done any better."

Hatton retired following his last fight against Pacquiao, subsequently endured an ongoing battle to overcome depression, drug addiction and suicidal thoughts while out of the ring.

"I'm a happy man tonight. I don't feel like putting a knife to my wrists. I have got the answers I needed," said Hatton. "I got the opportunity, and I got the answers, and no matter how upsetting it is, I have got to be a man and say, 'It is the end of Ricky Hatton.'"

Hatton had hoped for a rematch with Malignaggi, who turned 32 on Friday and is coming off last month's Showtime-televised split-decision victory over Mexico City's Pablo Cesar Cano.

Malignaggi has been mandated to face the WBA's interim beltholder, Diego Chaves, (22-0, 18 KOs), of Argentina by Jan. 27, according to Malignaggi's attorney, Steve Bash.

Photo by Scott Heavey, Getty Images

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com