Ricky Hatton details how he recovered from the brink of suicide with the help of a psychiatrist after falling into a severe depression after retiring in 2009.
The much-loved Manchester ‘hitman’, who won world titles at super-lightweight and welterweight, was knocked out within two rounds by Pacquiao in Las Vegas, sending his life into a tailspin.
He eventually returned to the ring three years later when he was beaten by Vyacheslav Senchenko, but sought help from a mental health professional after admitting he didn’t care if he was “alive or dead.” before asking.
Hutton revealed he had a falling out with his parents Carol and Ray, as well as his longtime trainer Billy Graham, and felt he had nothing to live for following the demise of his boxing career. bottom.
Hutton, 44, said on the George Groves Boxing Club podcast, “After Pacquiao punched me, I knew my career was over. ‘Listen to Rick, you’re in the past. ’ I thought,” he said.
“I knew there was no boxing left in my life, no mother, no father, no Billy Graham. That was when I was in my darkest moment.
I thought, “Why did you do that?” You can’t celebrate with Billy or Mom or Dad. Boxing is gone. I didn’t care if I lived or died then.
“When my first daughter was born, I held her in the hospital and said to myself, ‘Listen, Rick, I need to cheer myself up now. It’s not just about you. You don’t have children. There is
“I thought, ‘I’m going to pick myself up,’ but I couldn’t. I had to go see a psychiatrist in Manchester.
“I went in and knelt down. He came from around the desk. I put my arms around him and said, ‘Tell me what to do here. What I can’t do in that boxing ring.’ But I’m going to kill myself, so please tell me what I need to do to make this right.
“If you don’t tell me what I need to do today, I won’t be here next week.
“He talked to me, talked to me, and I got so much out of my chest, which I felt I probably couldn’t do with my peers.” What kind of young people can say “I want to kill myself every day”?
“For men, it’s hard. Sometimes they think you’ve lost the plot, so you keep it – I did.
“Little by little I got used to the routine of what my psychiatrist told me. I’m going to train, run every day, enjoy the sun, eat healthy, and I’m starting to feel better about myself.
Hutton, who is currently patching up with his parents and Graham, recently returned to the ring in an eight-round exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera at the Manchester Arena.
