Ricky Hatton has done a dramatic U-turn and told friends he will not box again.
He dropped the bombshell on a stag trip to Tenerife this weekend telling them he no longer had the motivation to fight and was hanging up his gloves.
'The Hitman' had been due to fight again in June but is tipped to make an official announcement on his retirement in the next week
Family and business associates have told Hatton to think carefully before making a final decision, but they will be hoping he sticks to his word. There was shock in January when Hatton announced he would box again, having earned an estimated £45million.
Even then his dad Ray, who has been instrumental in his son's career, admitted that he didn't want his beer-loving boy to fight again.
The Manchester idol is believed to be weighing currently in excess of 14 stone, more than 50lbs over his fighting weight.
Hatton, 31, has not fought since being brutally knocked out inside two rounds by Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last May.
The ex-world light-welterweight champion and WBA welterweight titleholder was unconscious for several minutes and there were worrying moments as he lay prostrate in the ring at the MGM Grand Garden.
Hatton's fiancée Jennifer Dooley and mum Carol were in tears as medics treated him. Hatton's only defeats in a brilliant 47-fight career came against Floyd Mayweather Jnr in December 2007 and Pacquiao.
Hatton claimed he would return to the gym at the end of an Australian holiday last month, and he did do some light training before he was pictured having boozy nights out in Coventry and in Tenerife.
He started having second thoughts about boxing again while on holiday in Australia in January and confided with friends and fiancée that he was unsure about boxing again.
On Monday, bookies stopped taking bets on Hatton fighting this year. His company have a deal with Sky TV, which screens Hatton Promotions cards on their Friday Fight Night show.
Hatton turned professional in September 1997 and in little over three years became British champion. He soon became a household name and one of Britain's most popular sportsmen, making 15 defences of the WBU title.
Ricky's greatest triumph came in June 2005 when he captured the IBF championship, forcing Aussie legend Kostya Tszyu to quit after 11 rounds at Manchester's MEN Arena.
That victory catapulted Hatton towards boxing superstardom, but also brought a split with promoter Frank Warren, who masterminded his career.
Hatton formed his own promotional company and teamed up with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions to build his image in America. They were kept in the dark about Hatton's decision to quit.
Even on Monday their CEO Richard Schaefer was talking about Hatton facing Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in a comeback fight.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
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