Ricky Hatton was my favorite active boxer back in the 2000s when I first started watching boxing closely. I followed his career, from his early fights, when he upset Kostya Tszyu, shut Jose Luis Castillo’s body down, to even his big losses to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Win or lose, I always rooted for Ricky, even if it hurt towards the end. A big part of me becoming a boxing fan was watching his fights and being enamored by his style of going to the body with relentless pressure, as well as his humility even at the peak of his powers. He also struggled with his mental health, and his honesty about it was helpful. (more…)
