For Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, the greatest moment of his boxing career was the night it all started 19 years ago this week – his 2005 fight against Kostya Tszyu.

As Hatton, 45, looks back on his career prior to his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (June 6-9) in Canastota, Recent York, he rates the significance of beating Tszyu for his first world title as the highlight of his career .

Hatton was a figure of constant movement, darting in and out of range, landing merciless shots to Tszyu’s body at the Manchester Arena in England. At the end of the 11th round, trainer Johnny Lewis pulled the Australian-based Russian from the fight while he was sitting on a stool. Hatton was the IBF junior welterweight world champion, and his career was taken to another level with six of his next nine fights in the United States.

Despite entering the fight against Tszyu as an underdog in front of 22,000 hometown fans, Hatton dominated the more experienced Tszyu, who was ranked third in the pound-for-pound rankings at the time, behind Floyd Mayweather and Bernard Hopkins.

“People said if I beat Tszyu it would be one of the best wins ever by a British boxer,” Hatton told ESPN. “Looking back, I think it was my biggest victory and it opened the door for me to fight in the States. He was renowned all over the world, but I think people in America were saying who was that fat kid from Manchester who just kept Kostya Tszyu in his seat?

Living up to the expectations of his fans and in a fight that captured the imagination of more than just boxing fans in the UK – Tszyu was also a huge star in Australia at the time – Hatton put in a tireless and brilliant performance.

“When I came through, I had the WBU title, which wasn’t one of the top belts, and my defense was a little tender, so I was getting injured regularly,” Hatton said. “And that’s why a lot of people thought Tszyu would win.

“But it was self-belief. I didn’t stop believing and even when I fought Kostia Tszyu, Manny Pacquiao or Floyd Mayweather, I always believed that I would win.

After being stopped in two rounds by Pacquiao in May 2009, Hatton did not fight for three years, struggling with depression and drug and alcohol addiction.

Hatton also counts his losses to Mayweather (2007) and Pacquiao among his best moments, in part because they were two of the best fighters in the world.

“Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather were the most critical fighters, although I finished second, but they were the best in the business at the time,” Hatton said. “Then I struggled with those failures, but now I’m in a content place and I’m content to talk about them now.”

Fighting at home in Manchester is also critical to Hatton, and representing his hometown was one of his goals. Hatton particularly remembers three fights that had everything.

“Fight at the City of Manchester Stadium [against Juan Lazcano in 2008] he was up there. Fight with Paulie Malignaggi [2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas]and Noel and Liam Gallagher [of the band Oasis] wearing belts to the ring was also a large deal. I always wanted to be a world champion, support Manchester City and liked Oasis, and in my boxing career I fulfilled all these requirements.

“Stopping [Jose Luis] Castillo, a Mexican known for his body shots, with a body shot [in Round 4, in Las Vegas] was another good one. I beat him at his own game.”

Hatton will also be remembered as an extremely popular boxer on both sides of the Atlantic. His self-deprecating humor was the opposite of the vulgar bragging and trash-talking typical of pre-fight preparations. Before the Malignaggi fight, Hatton even entered the ring wearing a massive suit and a robe with the word “Fatman” written on the top of the hood, as a joke about his weight, which had been increasing between fights.

Hatton was an invigorating pressure fighter who produced several stunning KO victories. Against Carlos Maus in Sheffield, England in November 2005, Hatton found himself in a treacherous situation – a title unification fight with cuts on both eyes.

“I won the fight, but people started to worry about the cuts,” Hatton told ESPN. “My feet actually left the floor when I hit him with a left hook to finish [in Round 9, by KO]. If he had stood up after that shot, I would have fled the ring.

Hatton (45-3, 32 KO) ended his career with a knockout loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko in November 2012, returning three years after being stopped by Pacquiao.

Although Hatton won belts at junior welterweight and welterweight, perhaps his greatest achievement was his popularity and connection with his fans. When Hatton fought Mayweather, almost 20,000 fans traveled from the UK to Las Vegas.

“You dream of fighting in Las Vegas, but you don’t think it will ever come true,” Hatton said. “Well, in my case, yes. When I first laced up gloves, I grew up watching artists like Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali on video.

“I never would have thought that one day my name would be next to them in the Boxing Hall of Fame, never. Honestly, I can’t believe it. There aren’t many British players in the Hall of Fame, so to get inducted is just amazing.”

Hatton said he considered taking his own life amid alcohol and drug addiction after losing Pacquiao in 2009 and before his comeback in 2012, and that treatment had improved his mental health. Currently, he manages players and gives motivational speeches.

“I’m glad I didn’t take my own life when I was struggling because I would have missed out on a lot,” Hatton said.