Ricky Hatton Announces Retirement

Ricky Hatton has announced that he is retiring from boxing.

The thirty two year old has not fought since his defeat to Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas back in 2009.

But he brings to a close a glittering fourteen year career that saw him win forty five out of forty seven fights - the other defeat coming at the hand s of Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007.

And Hatton admits that he has know that this day was coming for quite some time.

Speaking to Sky Sports Hatton said: "I am very upset. It's a very sad day for me.

"I know it is the right decision, though. I've known it was the right thing to do for 18 months to be honest.

"It's a bit of a relief to finally do it. It's been hovering over my head for such a long time.

"These last two years have been really frustrating. I hit rock bottom and it almost drove me insane.

"There's nothing more I love than training for a fight but I have no dreams left now."

Hatton kicked off his career as a light-welterwight before moving up to welterweight after he started to dominate the division.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw