Ricky Hatton makes ‘get if off your chest’ plea in call for major boxing change

Boxing legend Ricky Hatton has called for a change in attitude towards mental health.

Hatton earned a loyal fan base throughout his time in the ring. The five-time world champion from Hyde became a household name as a result of his success and was loved by his supporters, not least by Manchester City fans, given his adoration for the club.

However, his first-ever defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather unearthed some troubling feelings for Hatton that grew significantly following his second loss to Manny Pacquiao. During the recently released Hatton documentary, available on Sky, he recalled crying every day, hiding his feelings from loved ones and masking them through drink and drugs. This culminated in Hatton desperately seeking help after suffering from suicidal thoughts.

Speaking to MEN Sport, ‘The Hitman’ is in a drastically better headspace and has long championed the importance of mental health. However, Hatton insists that men, generally, need to get better at opening up about their feelings.

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“It can sometimes be harder for a man,” Hatton said. “You can’t walk into your local and say, ‘Listen lads, can I just have five minutes with you? I’m crying every day and I want to slit my wrists’. You don’t do it.

“You don’t have to tell your mates - if you’re more comfortable telling a stranger than your loved ones - but the main thing is to get it off your chest. The more you do, the better you are for it. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got mental health [issues] or not but certainly if you’ve got mental health problems, go and get it off your chest.”

Hatton has called for more to be done in boxing to help fighters adapt to life,