I need a Hit, Man -- The Sun

By GUY PATRICK, ALEX PEAKE and RICHARD MORIARTY, The Sun

THEY call him the Hitman because he batters opponents. But the wild eyes and wobbly legs prove it's Ricky Hatton who's taken a hit or two this time.

This pitiful picture shows the bloated, sweating boxing star struggling to stay upright as pals carry him from a bar after an all-day bender.

It was taken by a horrified fan in Marbella's Puerto Banus, Spain, a few weeks before yesterday's revelation that Hatton had been filmed snorting cocaine while on yet another marathon binge.

The fan said: "It was really sad to see. He was such a mess, sweating and hugely overweight.

"He was obviously wired on something. It might have been just booze but I doubt it.

"By the end he couldn't stand up. He was clinging to his pals as they disappeared into the night."

As the ex-welterweight and light welterweight world champion yesterday pledged to check into rehab, friends said he has been trapped in a cocaine and booze-fuelled haze for MONTHS.

One source said: "His coke problem has been getting ridiculous. This wasn't just one party night out on the town.

"The fact he's being doing cocaine was an open secret among those close to him.

"In a way we're almost relieved he's been caught out because something had to be done. He couldn't go on like that."

Hatton, 31, who was secretly filmed as he snorted cocaine through a rolled-up ฃ20 note, yesterday acknowledged he needed professional help for a problem that had spiralled out of control.

He said: "I've been in a bad place for some time. It's all down to me. I feel I have let everyone down especially all my fans in the country who have always supported me.

"I know I've got to make it better. I've now got the biggest fight of my life."

Spokesman Max Clifford said: "It's become apparent to those closest to him over recent weeks and months that Ricky had a drink problem. Clearly it was worse that that.

"His family are obviously very concerned for him and have become increasingly so.

"Ricky has given them an assurance he will go into rehab in a matter of days.

"I think it is fair to say, friends and family have been trying to warn him in recent times, for the last few months. And now they are all hoping this situation will bring him to his senses."

Mr Clifford said Hatton, who has not fought since losing his title to Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last May, had found it hard to adjust to life outside the ring.

He added: "Since retirement he has found it very difficult. There has been something missing in his life - boxing.

"In his own words he says he's been in a bad place for some time. Probably before even his last fight. He is very upset and very subdued, very flat."

On the night of his drug shame during a bender in Manchester, Hatton snorted seven lines of cocaine and sank 11 pints of Guinness, four vodkas, two glasses of wine and several sambucas.

Hatton is known for his love of the high-life - a passion that has brought him into contact with party girls including Samii Darnley. Samii is a pal of Wayne Rooney's hooker Jenny Thompson and was herself chatted up by the footballer.

During his benders Hatton sometimes got so hammered he passed out after returning home before he could make it to the front door.

Horrified fiancee Jenny Dooley would find him the next morning lying on the drive of their luxurious home in Hyde, Gtr Manchester. She is said to have told friends: "He's out of control."

One source close to Hatton said: "Jenny has found him spark-out on the driveway several times.

"He was barely able to move and totally incoherent."

Boxing promoter Frank Warren said the binges made nonsense of rumours that Hatton was about to return to the ring.

And he warned that the boxer was setting a terrible example to the young fighters he had started to manage. Mr Warren added: "It's no secret that Ricky's being doing it for a long time.

"The idea of him fighting again is ridiculous. I think the most important thing is that Ricky obviously needs help.

"The other side of things is that the British Board of Boxing Control need to wheel him in and talk to him. Here's a guy that is promoting and managing young fighters. What kind of a message is he sending them?"

Yesterday one of Ricky's confidantes gave a graphic account of how the boxer deteriorates into a stumbling drunk on night's out.

The pal said: "He just gets completely wasted. It's just pint after pint after pint.

"Looking back I suppose he could have been on drugs too because the way he behaved was certainly erratic.

"He can't walk in a straight line. He's not a bad drunk - he's harmless. But people are always having to help him to his feet."

Hatton's dad Ray yesterday pledged his support. He said: "The family are just dealing with it, which is what he needs at the minute. That's all I want to say about it.

Hatton, who has a son of nine, was knocked out in the second round of his title bout against Filipino Manny Pacquiao.

But he has yet to confirm his retirement and even hinted at a return to the ring by recently renewing his boxer's licence with the Boxing Board of Control.

A potential "super-fight" against fellow Briton Amir Khan, the current WBA light-welterweight champion, has been suggested.

Hatton, who was awarded an MBE in 2006, was filmed snorting cocaine at a hotel two weeks ago while on a night out with friend Emma Bowe, 29.

Emma, the Irish national senior women's boxing champion, told the News of the World: "I'm only talking about this because Ricky is a danger to himself. I'm really, really worried for him."

g.patrick@the-sun.co.uk

Source: thesun.co.uk

Ricky Hatton admits cocaine addiction and will enter rehab this week -- Mirror

By Martin Fricker, Mirror.co.uk

Ricky Hatton will check into a rehab clinic this week after tearfully confessing to a year-long cocaine addiction.

The former boxing world champ was caught on camera snorting “industrial” amounts of cocaine during a sordid drink-and-drugs binge a fortnight ago.

Hatton admitted being hooked on the Class A drug in an emotional heart-to-heart with fiancée Jennifer Dooley yesterday.

He told her: “I’ve been an idiot and I’m so sorry and ashamed. I need and want to sort myself out.”

She was horrified to discover Hatton, 31, had seven lines of cocaine during a night out in Manchester.

The bloated ex-boxer then admitted he had been taking the drug for almost a year – beginning shortly after his last fight, when he was knocked out in two rounds by Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton was caught on film taking out a wrap of cocaine hidden in his shoe before chopping up lines with a credit card in a hotel room.

He then expertly snorted the drug through a rolled up £20 note.

In addition to the seven lines of cocaine that night, he drank 11 pints of Guinness, four vodkas, two glasses of wine and several sambuccas.

But a source close to the retired fighter, who became a national hero as world light-welterweight king, said: “He’s now vowed to get himself clean. He’ll go into a rehab clinic very soon and he has the support of Jen and the rest of his family.”

The source revealed Hatton – ­nicknamed The Hitman during his career – had struggled to cope with life outside the ring.

“He is very down – devastated, in fact,” the friend said. “He had a tearful talk with Jennifer and held his hands up. This has been coming for some time and everyone around him is hoping it’s a wake-up call.

“Ricky is disgusted with himself. He feels he has let himself, his family, his friends and his fans down.

“He has struggled to cope since giving up the fighting. He went from world champion to a retired ex-pro and it is hard for him.

“A few people around Ricky have been concerned for a while.”

Friends were also shocked to learn “anti-drugs” Hatton, who was awarded an MBE, was on cocaine.

One said: “He was always adamant he would never touch the stuff.”

And pal Emma Bowe, who witnessed him snorting cocaine, said: “If he carries on, he’ll kill himself. I’m really, really worried for him. If he tries to make a comeback in the ring, as he’s hinted, he could have a heart attack. “To see him abusing drugs was such a let-down. He was a role model.”

Yesterday, it also emerged Hatton was floored in a pub after a row over a fruit machine queue.

A bodybuilder twice his size accused him of pushing in and sent him sprawling across tables at the Railway Inn in Hyde, Manchester.

During the tail-end of his career, Hatton was known to balloon in weight between fights and revelled in the nickname Ricky “Fatton”.

During a four-day booze binge after his defeat by American Floyd Mayweather Jnr in 2007, the first of just two career losses, he downed 57 pints, 17 vodka and Red Bulls, four vodkas, three whisky chasers and a bottle of champagne.

Earlier this year, fellow boxer Joe Calzaghe also confessed to taking cocaine after retiring from the ring.

Source: mirror.co.uk

Ban Hatton from boxing - The Sun

By PAUL JIGGINS, The Sun

FRANK WARREN wants drug-shame star Ricky Hatton banned from boxing until he cleans up his act.

The Hitman's career is in crisis after he was caught snorting several lines of cocaine during a bender in Manchester.

SunSport columnist Warren, who used to promote Hatton, said: "His actions are bad for his and boxing's image."

Former world champion Hatton renewed his fight licence with the British Boxing Board of Control in June and is also a licensed promoter.

But Warren believes the fight legend should not now be allowed anywhere near a ring or gym until he has got help to conquer his demons.

Warren added: "The Board of Control need to show their mettle and ban him until he sorts himself out.

"Ricky obviously needs help and I hope for his sake he gets it. He has brought the sport into disrepute and must not be allowed to fight or promote again until he can show he is clean.

"How can he go into a gym and guide a young fighter when he can't even guide himself properly?

"Ricky remains a role model to loads of promising young fighters. If the Board of Control don't take action it will send out a message you can take drugs and still have a career in the sport."

Our sister paper, the News of the World, reported yesterday Hatton used 'industrial quantities' of cocaine on a night out with a pal.

Hatton's spokesman, Max Clifford, said last night: "He feels he has let everybody that matters down badly - his friends, family, fans and, of course, most of all himself.

"In his own words, he's been in a bad place for some time, probably even before his last fight. He's really upset."

Hatton has not fought since he was KO'd by Manny Pacquiao last May.

Source: thesun.co.uk

Ricky Hatton 'devastated' by drug allegations -- Guardian

Press Association, Guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton was said to be "devastated and distraught" after being secretly filmed allegedly snorting cocaine. The former two-weight world champion is alleged to have used "industrial quantities" of the drug by the News of the World.

Hatton, 31, who has still to officially retire from the sport following a succession of multi-million pound title fights, is captured in video footage apparently snorting lines of cocaine.

Today Max Clifford, his spokesman, said: "I have spoken to Ricky just half an hour ago, he is very upset and very subdued, very flat. He feels he's let everybody that matters down badly, his friends, his family, his fans and of course most of all himself. In his own words, he's been in a bad place for some time, probably before even his last fight and obviously he's really upset about what has happened but he totally takes responsibility, takes the blame.

"He just wants to let everybody know how he feels, he's got to sort himself out. I think it is fair to say, friends and family have been trying to warn him in recent times, for the last few months and now they are all hoping this situation will bring him to his senses.

"I think obviously everybody is hoping some good will come out of this. He feels devastated and we all hope this will be the wake-up call."

Clifford said he was called by a representative of Hatton last night and asked to speak on behalf of the boxer, whom he has known for a number of years.

He added: "We have spoken a couple of times today, clearly he's distraught about it, very upset and very subdued."

The News of the World states the video footage was captured over several hours at a Manchester hotel two weeks ago while Hatton was on a night out with his friend Emma Bowe, 29, the Irish national senior women's boxing champion.

Hatton is now heavily involved in promoting other boxers, having not fought himself for more than a year.

The former world champion at both light-welterweight and welterweight was knocked out in the second round at the hands of Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas last May.

Despite the comprehensive defeat, Hatton has yet to confirm his retirement from the game and even hinted at a return to the ring by recently renewing his boxer's licence with the British Boxing Board of Control.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Ricky Hatton Targeted In Brit Paper Sting -- The Sweet Science

By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science

Ricky Hatton, the immensely popular lunchpail hitter from England, was caught in a filmed sting by the newspaper "The News of the World" snorting multiple lines of what the paper described as cocaine.

The video comes off as a pathetically lurid takedown of the boxer, as the voiceover narrator self righteously declares what a shock the site of the boxer, who has been on hiatus as he contemplates whether to glove up again, will be to fans who see him snorting lines of powder.

One can sense the veiled glee in the narrator's voice as he does a play by play of the Hitman, age 31, going to town with a rolled up piece of paper and powder.

Here's a quote from the paper: "A friend who witnessed the former world champ take SEVEN lines of coke in a Manchester hotel said:

"If he carries on he'll kill himself. I'm really, really worried for him."

The footage was taken in a hotel, during a night of partying, two weeks ago, allegedly.

A woman described as a "fellow fighter," one Emma Bowe, rats the Hitman (45-2; last fought in May 2009, KO2 loss to Manny Pacquiao) out. "I'm only talking about this because Ricky is a danger to himself. If he carries on like this he'll kill himself. I'm really, really worried for him, especially if he tries to make a comeback in the ring as he's hinted - he could have a heart attack."

That's one way to stage an intervention if you're worried about him. Help a nosy newspaper sting the guy, Emma. No word on if she was compensated for her efforts...

She said she'd hung out with him before, and that he'd had coke on him then too. Of course, that developement crushed her world. "I was dumbstruck and felt bitterly disappointed," she told the paper. "Ricky was my hero and to see him abusing drugs was such a letdown. He was a real role model, I didn't expect that of him."

She didn't share with the paper, or the paper didn't share with readers, what if anything she ingested on that night, or give any hint if there was any romance with Hatton, who has a fiancee.

Tough spell for UK fighters on hiatus who are keen on sniffing uplifting powder. Joe Calzaghe, the Welsh ex champ, was also stung by the same news operation, in March. Calzaghe said reporters posed as reps from a Russian bank and broke down his guard. "I very much regret my occasional use of cocaine in what have sometimes been the long days since my retirement from the ring," he said after. "I am fully aware of the bad example it sets to other people and particularly to youngsters and I apologise to my family, friends and fans."

Source: thesweetscience.com

Klitschko rolls again, stops Peter in the 10th -- Yahoo! Sports

By Steve Cofield, Yahoo! Sports

Samuel Peter promised he would do what he couldn't back in 2005 against Wladimir Klitschko. He was kidding himself. Peter was a shell of what he was back in his first fight against the current heavyweight champ. Peter was out gas by the third round and served as a heavy bag for 10 rounds. After absorbing a ton of hard jabs and with his face puffed up, Peter finally ate a fight ending uppercut. The Nigerian fell to his back and the fight was over at 1:21 of the 10th. Klitschko successfully defended his three heavyweight title belt in Frankfurt, Germany.

Klitschko (55-3, 49 KOs) wins his 14th straight fight and second against Peter. When they met in 2005, Peter actually dropped Klitschko three times but lost a 114-111 unanimous decision. Tonight, he was never in the fight.

"I thought I boxed really well," said Klitschko. "He obviously pressured me early on with that left hand. I though I dominated in the end. It was a comfortable win for me. I certainly enjoyed it."

ESPN's Teddy Atlas had it 90-81 heading to the 10th as did Yahoo! Sports' boxing expert Kevin Iole. Klitschko landed 142 punches over nine-plus rounds at a rate of 28 percent. Peter landed just 35 punches the entire fight and only nine of those were jabs. Klitschko's set up the devastating beating by doubling and tripling his jab. He nailed Peter with 53 jabs.

Peter's gameplan was bizarre. He made himself an easy target by coming straight forward. Once he got inside, Peter, a solid power puncher, chose to wrestle instead of throwing short punches. By the ninth round, referee Robert Byrd refused to break up the fighters, telling them to fight out of the clinch. He even approached Klitschko's corner before the tenth to tell the champ that he needed to throw more punches and get himself out of the clinch.

Klitschko also got the same message from his trainer Emmanuel Steward, who implored his fighter to finish the fight. Klitschko listened. He let his hands go and jumped back from Peter, who appeared ready to fall flat on his face from exhaustion.

The Ukranian pounded away and finally landed an uppercut that put Peter (34-4, 27 KOs) flat on his back.

The 34-year-old champ retains his IBF, WBO and IBO title belts. He did so in front of 40,000 fans at Commerzbank Arena. Dignitaries in attendance included German tennis legend Boris Becker and Klitschko's Hollywood girlfriend Hayden Panettiere.

Source: sports.yahoo.com

Former World Champion Ricky Hatton 'filmed snorting cocaine in 10-hour drink and drugs binge' -- Daily Mail

By Daily Mail Reporter, DailyMail.co.uk

Former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton has been filmed apparently taking cocaine in a ten-hour drink and drugs binge.

Hatton, an MBE, was secretly recorded snorting seven lines of the illegal drug in a Manchester hotel room.

The 31-year-old is clearly seen taking a wrap from his shoe, pouring the white powder it contains onto a table top, then snorting the contents.

Hatton, who lives with his fiance Jennifer Dooley in the city, was filmed for the News Of The World two weeks ago by his friend Emma Bowe, 29.

Irish national senior women's boxing champion Bowe told the tabloid she flew from Dublin to Manchester to attend a cage fighting event with Hatton.

She claimed he spent the night in her hotel room, where she said she witnessed him snorting cocaine.

'He laid out three huge lines, really industrial quantities,' Bowe said. 'I watched him all the time.

'He went to the dressing table and cut them up with a credit card, really fat lines of coke.

'Then he rolled up a £20 note, put it up his nose and snorted up three lines of cocaine one after the other.'

She also claims she witnessed Hatton drank several shots of Sambuca, 11 pints of Guinness, four shots of vodka and two glasses of wine.

The claims are sure to humiliate Hatton, who was said to be planning a comeback and renewed his boxing licence in July.

Having made more than £30million in his boxing career, father-of-one Hatton does not need the money.

But Britain’s most popular boxer was said to be embarrassed by the manner of his last defeat, a two-round knockout against Manny Pacquiao in Vegas last year.



Source: dailymail.co.uk

Floyd Mayweather Jr's stormy week goes from bad to worse -- Guardian

By Giles Richards and Toby Moses, Guardian.co.uk

While rape charities and the UK press have been busy condemning David Haye after he claimed his fight against Audley Harrison would be "as one-sided as a gang rape", the US fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr has been doing his best to lower boxing further into the gutter. Not only is he being investigated by police over allegations of assaulting his former partner and swiping a mobile phone, but the row over his racist tirade towards the boxer widely considered the best in the world, Filipino Manny Pacquiao, refuses to die down.

There is little love lost between the two fighters, as they've so far failed to agree on a date to fight. That they might meet was clearly in Mayweather's mind, however, in a recent online video.

"I'm on vacation for about a year," Mayweather said. "As soon as we come off vacation, we're going to cook that little yellow chump. We ain't worried about that. So they ain't gotta worry about me fighting the midget. Once I kick the midget ass, I don't want you all to jump on my dick. So you all better get on the bandwagon now... Once I stomp the midget, I'll make that motherfucker make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice." He then referenced previous claims of drug use saying: "Don't worry, we'll kick 'Poochiao' ass. He's gonna take the urine and blood test," and concluded: "This motherfucker's name is Emmanuel. He got a fake name, taking power pellets."

The inevitable furore followed as did an apology, of sorts. "There's nothing but love in my heart... The only thing I want to say is, if anybody who was affected by what I said the other day, I apologise as a man. I apologise." However, The National Federation of Filipino American Associations joined the fray, denouncing the "racist and homophobic rant" which "crossed the line of decency and respectability" and dismissed Mayweather's apology.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao tried to play it all down. Writing his column for the Filipino boxing site, Philboxing.com, he wryly noted that he was pleased at the publicity Mayweather was creating for his upcoming fight with Antonio Margarito. Then, addressing the issue with a level-headedness entirely at odds with Mayweather's rant, he refused to respond to racial slurs with "violent and disrespectful statements" and offered "forgiveness and repentance".

Comentators everywhere had already condemned Mayweather but, aptly, it fell to ESPN's Jeff MacGregor to sum it all up with the phrase: "He's a bum."

It seems the only person left in Floyd's corner is rapper 50 Cent, who took to Twitter to defend the boxer from the assault allegations. "Another case of angry baby mama wanting money... She's claiming he hit her but has no bruises," tweeted "Fiddy". Fiddy's version of what happened to provoke the argument: Floyd "just asked her why the house was so dirty".

Mayweather is due to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on 9 November.

Source: guardian.co.uk

Mayweather's latest blunder says it all -- 8CountNews

By Brad Cooney, 8CountNews.com

Pacquiao is bad for boxing? Pacquiao is a sinner? Pacquiao needs to do right for boxing? Are you kidding me? This is the garbage that a few boxing scribes out there are publishing on the front pages of boxing websites. The attacks on Pacquiao from one site in particular are pathetic at best. It's like they don't have anything else to write about. Manny Pacquiao the last time that I checked doesn't have a history of beating up women, and stealing. The last time that I checked, Manny Pacquiao has never been arrested on drug charges, and he's never been one to rub his money in the faces of those who do not have money. On the contrary, Pacquiao gives back and he has a history of helping people that are in need.

Now let us look at Floyd Mayweather Jr. Love this guy or hate this guy, he is a boxing icon. This is unfortunate because an icon in any sport is the face of that sport. Thankfully boxing does have Pacquiao's face on the top as well, so that is some saving grace, but Floyd's face is there too. Floyd Mayweather has recently been accused of beating up his ex girlfriend. He was was later arrested for stealing her cell phone, and his mug shot was plastered all over the web. Floyd has had a horrible few months in the media and he brought it on all by himself.

Pacquiao has been under attack because he accepted the fight against Antonio Margarito. Let us look at this. Manny has gone on the record in the past a few times expressing his desire to fight Margarito. This is not something new that he just made up. Manny has always wanted to fight him, and now he has his chance. The questions that have been directed at his decision ask, why? Margarito as we all know by now was caught trying load up his gloves. He was punished for it, and now he has been granted a license to fight again by the state of Texas. Those who oppose this fight believe that it's Manny's moral responsibility to not give Margarito this opportunity because of what happened in the past.

I pose this question to those who feel compelled to continually bash Pacquiao for accepting the Margarito fight.

1- Let's say a man gets into a fight on a street somewhere in New York. The man who starts the fight is arrested for assault, and serves a year in jail. When the man serves his punishment and is released from jail, should he be allowed to work again? The answer is yes. Pacquiao has been accused of being "greedy" for taking the payday and the fight Vs. Margarito. Personally I do not feel as if Margarito should be allowed to fight again. But the commission in Texas thinks otherwise, so legally Margarito can fight. Pacquiao would much rather have fought Floyd Mayweather, but obviously that is not an option now. It's not Pacquiao's fault that the big Floyd fight isn't happening, nor should Pacquiao be held accountable and or judged by anyone for accepting the fight Vs. Tony Margarito. Blame the commission in Texas and blame Floyd Mayweather, but don't blame Manny Pacquiao. This is a business, and Manny made a business decision. Trust me, a lot of the money that he will make fighting Margarito will go to good causes.

Source: 8countnews.com

Boxer could face license questions -- Las Vegas Review-Journal

By STEVE CARP, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

If Floyd Mayweather Jr., had a fight scheduled in the coming weeks or months, his latest brush with the law might be an issue.

However, with the undefeated welterweight not planning to return to the ring anytime soon, there's no need for the Nevada Athletic Commission, or any other regulatory body, to immediately deal with him. But Mayweather likely will be asked about his most recent arrest when it comes time to apply for a new boxing license.

Mayweather, 33, was arrested Friday on grand larceny charges related to Thursday's domestic violence complaint by Josie Harris, his ex-girlfriend.

Mayweather last fought May 1, beating Shane Mosley in a 12-round bout at the MGM Grand Garden to improve to 41-0 with 25 knockouts. His boxing license in Nevada expires Dec. 31 and licenses must be renewed annually. But since he has no intention of using his license the remainder of 2010, his arrest is a non-issue for the commission at this time.

Mayweather was offered an opportunity to fight Manny Pacquiao on Nov. 13 in Las Vegas. But he declined, claiming he was taking a break from boxing.

The same can be said of the NAC's lack of action regarding last week's video rant against Pacquiao. Mayweather launched a 10-minute verbal assault on Pacquiao on the UStream Web site, pelting him with racist and homophobic slurs. While some members of the commission expressed disgust, they didn't plan to take any action.

Keith Kizer, executive director of the NAC, said Friday that he'll "continue to monitor the situation and see how the legal process plays out."

In its list of richest and powerful sports athletes of 2010, Forbes Magazine ranked Mayweather No. 2 behind golfer Tiger Woods, at $65 million. While boxing officials may not act on Mayweather's recent transgressions, corporate America has not stood idly by. Both AT&T and Reebok have dropped him as a product pitchman. Both said they had cut ties with Mayweather prior to his UStream appearance.

In addition, Mayweather has been publicly denounced by the NAACP and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations for his hateful diatribe against Pacquiao, who is from the Philippines and currently serves as a congressman there.

Mayweather isn't the only one in his family dealing with the law. His uncle and chief trainer, Roger Maywheather, 48, faces trial Oct. 25 in Clark County District Court on a 2009 felony battery charge from an alleged attack on Melissa St. Vil, 26, a female boxer he once trained.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.

Source: lvrj.com