British boxing icon Ricky Hatton has delivered a raw and emotional account of his devastating mental health crisis, revealing he contemplated suicide in the aftermath of his brutal knockout by Manny Pacquiao in 2009.
The 'Hitman', once the pride of British sport, described hitting "rock bottom" following the Las Vegas defeat. In a new, searingly honest documentary, Hatton details how a perceived cold shoulder from football legend David Beckham at a charity event became the final straw that led him to a desperate suicide attempt.
The Moment That Broke The Hitman
"I remember going to a charity event and David Beckham was there," Hatton recounts. "I went over to him and said, 'Alright Dave?' and he just blanked me. I thought, 'I'm not even worth talking to now'."
That moment of perceived rejection catalysed his deepest despair. "I went home and I just broke down. I thought, 'What am I now? I'm a nobody'. I wanted to end it all."
A Descent Into Darkness
The documentary, 'Ricky Hatton: The Hitman's Last Stand', paints a harrowing picture of the fighter's decline. The boxer, who had once united thousands of travelling fans, found himself utterly alone.
"I was on my knees crying. I had a knife to my wrists. I was that low," Hatton confesses, describing the depths of his depression and substance abuse that followed his retirement from the ring.
The Long Road Back
Now, over a decade later, Hatton is channeling his painful experiences into his coaching career, using his story to help his fighters navigate the immense pressures of professional sport.
His comeback fight in 2012, while not ending in victory, marked the beginning of his personal redemption—a journey from the brink of self-destruction back to a life of purpose within the sport he loves.
Hatton's story stands as a powerful testament to the hidden mental health battles faced by athletes after the cheers fade, and a stark reminder of the importance of support systems in the high-stakes world of professional boxing.
