Last night in Manchester, Ricky Hatton lost his comeback bid against Vyacheslav Senchenko, getting dropped by a left hook to the liver in Round 9, unable to beat the count. He had been winning on the scorecards at the time of the knockout, so it’s too bad that he couldn’t hang on for the victory. After the fight, Hatton announced that he’s retiring for good now and stepping away from the ring after the emotionally draining performance. He was sent off with a hero’s farewell from the grateful crowd, who continued singing their songs and chanting for Hatton even after the defeat.
Take a look at a huge collection of Hatton vs. Senchenko photos right here and some more nights from the evening and Hatton’s retirement.
Hatton put on a game effort, and as mentioned, was on his way towards winning a decision. However, Senchenko sent him down with a perfect, pinpoint left hook, and the Hitman couldn’t recover.
As he left the ring, an emotional Hatton wasn’t sure he would retire. However, it didn’t take long for him to make his official announcement, declaring his intentions to retire from boxing for good following the fight.
For Hatton, the performance was about more than a win or loss in the ring. It was about his journey as a person and conquering the demons he has had in his left. And that was a success. It was touching to see his fans chanting “There’s only one, Ricky Hatton!” as their defeated, emotionally wrecked hero lost in the ring and then stepped away from the limelight.
