Ricky Hatton's 
decision to finally confirm his retirement is a massive relief to everyone in boxing and they will all be hoping the former two weight world champion is never tempted to put on a pair of gloves again.The Hitman has decided against a shock return to the sport despite massive cash offers to step into the ring again.
The 32-year-old was reportedly offered a deal to fight ring legend Erik Morales in what would have been his first fight since he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2009.
Hatton has been deliberating over a comeback ever since that brutal knock out but finally decided today that he will not step into a ring again – and now all fans of the Hitman can breathe a sigh of relief.
He told the News of the World website: "I will never box again and there will be no coming back. There have been so many times since the Pacquiao fight when I have woken up and thought, 'I will give it one more go', but it was not to be.
"There have been amazing highs and, although I always wanted to be a world champion, I went beyond my wildest dreams."
There have been plenty of highs along the way for the 32-year-old who lit up a packed MEN Arena on more than occasion over his 12-year professional career.
The pinnacle of those coming when Hatton forced the highly-rated Kostya Tszyu to quit and claimed his first major world title as he picked up the IBF light-welterweight crown.
It didn't take long for Hatton to unify the title as he brushed past WBA title-holder Carlos Maussa before stepping up to welterweight to become a two-weight world champion with a points win over Luis Collazo – both within a year of his victory over Tszyu.
Hatton was dreaming of becoming the pound for pound best but the man who stood in his way proved to be a step too far.
The British fighter brought 35,000 raucous fans to Las Vegas for his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007 in what was a massive spectacle.
Sadly Hatton fell short in the welterweight division and Mayweather forced a 10th-round stoppage, but the Hitman's dream continued and he pressed on.
Wins over Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi put Hatton back in place for another shot at becoming a pound for pound legend with a fight with Pacquiao lined up.
Again the Brit brought over a massive crowd to Vegas with a massive expectancy that he could topple the Filipino.
But this time Hatton's shortcomings at that level were brutally exposed by Pacquiao who left the British fighter sprawled on the canvas in the second round with his fans unable to look as he was attended to by his cornermen.
Hatton has had his struggles outside of the ring since that faithful night culinating with a national newspaper sting catching him snorting cocaine in a hotel that left the 32-year-old seeking help in rehab for his issues.
But he now seems to have fully recovered and has got his mind back on his promotion company – Hatton Promotions – who are slowly but surely building a strong stable of potential future world champions.
Now he has cleaned up his lifestyle and confirmed he will never fight again, the 32-year-old can now focus on his new ambition of making a world champion rather than being one.
All his supporters will be hoping that focus will keep him clean and also out of the ring for the good of his health.
And although he may not have reached his dream of pound for pound king, Hatton can now bow out knowing that the only men to have beaten him are still the two best active fighters in the world.
Follow FanHouse UK's Chris McKenna on Twitter (@cmckenna87)
Source: fanhouse.co.uk
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