UK Boxing
Ricky Hatton’s son updates on mental health: ‘I want him to be proud of me’
Campbell Hatton has spoken emotionally about his mental health following the death of his father, Ricky (Photo: BBTV)
Campbell Hatton has spoken openly about his mental health after announcing his return to boxing for an exhibition fight in memory of his behind schedule father, Ricky. Hatton Jnr retired from the sport last year to become a solar panel installer, but will now compete again as part of an event in Dubai that his dad was set to headline.
The two-division world champion announced his return last summer with a fight against Eisa Al Dah on December 2, but died by suicide less than two months before he was scheduled to return to the ring. Kell Brook is now scheduled to fight Al Dah in Hatton senior’s honor on April 11, and Hatton Jnr, his father’s nephew Jack and niece Lola are all teenage amateur boxers fighting on the undercard against opponents from the United Arab Emirates.
Speaking about his mental health, Hatton Jnr said Boxing nowformally BBTV: “I feel good, much better. It was a really terrible 12 months for me, but now I’m back at it and everything is back on track.
“It has done wonders for me, I have been preparing for this and I can’t wait to do it also in memory of my dad. Now I box for my own good, really, I don’t care about anything else.
“I think over the last 12 months I have realized that there is so much more to life than boxing. The pressure I felt when I was boxing is nothing compared to what I have been through over the last 12 months.
“I know how much better I feel when I’m taking care of myself and working on something and doing the right things compared to what I’ve been doing, so it really didn’t make sense to keep me on the straight and narrow, it gives me that structure again. It makes me feel so much better, so there are loads of reasons why I’m doing this exhibition, one of the main ones being to honor my dad’s memory and raise awareness (for the Ricky Hatton Foundation), but the most significant thing is just to get really, I’ll put my head back.”
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Campbell Hatton is set to return to boxing and fight for the first time since the death of his father Ricky (Photo: Getty)
Hatton Jnr continued: “I want him to be proud, but again, it’s just the structure of my life that keeps me in this state mentally. “I’m doing it for my daughter (Lyla) because there’s a very good chance I wouldn’t be here given the journey I’ve taken.
“I can’t afford to be wrong. I have to think about her, I have to think about my family who have been through enough, so I have to do everything to really be right.”
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She continues to take this medication day by day, saying, “For the last 12 months or maybe even less, I’ve been told to take it one day at a time. Right now I know it’s giving me a lot more happiness and structure, and it’s working wonders for my mental health, so I’ll be waking up and doing the exact same things, so I’m not looking too far into the future as to where it might go, but I just know it’s working for me in a minute.”
Hatton Jr. also recalls what prompted him to make these changes: “I was living my life, I didn’t want to be here and I was putting myself in harm’s way most of the time and my family saw it and what they were going through was hell. That was kind of my expertise and my family stepped in, honestly.”
On Saturday in Sheffield, Josh Padley will defend his European super featherweight title against Aqib Fiaz for the first time.
Eddie HearnMatchroom is promoting the Padley vs Fiaz fight from Utilita Arena live on DAZN worldwide.
The pair were scheduled to fight on the undercard, but were later advanced to the main event Dalton Smith’s WBC super lightweight title defense against Albert Puello and then Galal Yafai’s clash with unified flyweight world champion Ricardo Sandoval was shelved due to injury.
Padley (18-1, 6 KO) won the vacant belt after a second-round stoppage of Jaouad Belmehdi in Newcastle in January.
The 30-year-old has won three times since a ninth-round defeat to Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title on four days’ notice.
Fiaz (14-1, 2 KO) is looking to break the script here and has won two in a row since an eight-round retirement loss to mutual opponent Reece Bellotti in 2023, whom Padley defeated by unanimous decision in October.
The 26-year-old last didn’t play 11 months ago, securing a unanimous decision victory over Alex Murphy.
Nadim-Sulaimaan will fight for the title of English champion
Ibrahim Nadim defends his English super featherweight crown for the first time against Ibraheem Sulaimaan.
Nadim (16-1, 2 KO) secured the vacant belt with a unanimous decision victory over Numan Hussain in November, and Sulaimaan (10-0, 5 KO) became the Midlands Area champion with a sixth-round victory over Nico Ogbeide also in November.
Undercard remaining
Middleweight Aaron Bowen (7-1, 5 KO) suffered his first professional loss to Tom Cowling in November, but can get back to winning ways with a stoppage victory over Troy Coleman (15-4-1, 7 KO).
Heavyweight prospect Leo Atang (6-0, 5 KO) can remain excellent by defeating Frenchman Fouad Shaili (5-4-2, 3 KO).
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Connor Mitchell (2-0, 1 KO) can improve his undefeated record by scoring points over Jesus Carrasco (2-4-2) at featherweight, while Chris Mulanda (2-0) can do the same against Connor Goulding (6-12) in their middleweight bout.
Adam Maca (5-0, 5 KO) and Edward Hardy (6-0, 2 KO) will return to the pitch against an as yet unspecified opponent.
The post Josh Padley vs Aqib Fiaz – Gigantic Fight Preview and Predictions appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Anthony Joshua won’t be leaving boxing any time soon.
Joshua returns to the ring on July 25 in Saudi Arabia against Kristian Prengi, ahead of a thrilling clash with long-time rival Tyson Fury in November.
The two-time world heavyweight champion was expected to potentially end his career after his long-awaited clash with Fury, but the 36-year-old insists he can continue for another four years, even opening the door to a potential clash with the rising 21-year-old heavyweight champion, Moses This is going to hurt.
“For me, maybe until I’m 40,” Joshua told reporters.
“It’s only been about three or four years.
“I’ll be 37 in October, so it’s only three years, it’ll go by quickly.
“Of course it will be challenging, but I definitely think I’m tough enough to do it.
“Why not, why not? I’m definitely more mature.”
“AJ” will fight for the first time since the sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami in December.
The Watford player took a break from the sport after he was involved in a devastating road accident in Nigeria 10 days later that killed two of his close friends, Latif “Latz” Ayodele and Sina Ghami.
Joshua, who met Prenga face-to-face earlier this week, said he strongly supports parents Ayodele and Ghami.
“You’ll never get over it, but you’ll gain perspective in life,” he said BBC Sport.
“Life sometimes teaches you humility. You never know your fate.
“As a soldier, I stand powerful in defense of their parents.
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“First of all, it’s not about me.
“I think it’s crucial to put parents first at this time.
“I will have time to grieve, but I know that right now my heart and mind say that their parents are my main priority.”
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Joshua’s fight against Prenga will take place at the Jeddah Superdome.
Fury, who retired in April to defeat Arslanbek Makhmudov, is scheduled to have another warm-up fight on August 1.
The post Anthony Joshua REVEALS when he will retire from boxing appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Chris Billam-Smith returns to his hometown of Bournemouth to headline the inaugural Zuffa Boxing UK event against Ryan Rozicki on Saturday.
Billam-Smith is taking on Rozicki at the Bournemouth International Center and the bill is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the US.
“The Gentleman” is fighting in Bournemouth for the first time since he forced Mateusz Masternak to retire in the eighth round during the first defense of his WBO cruiserweight title.
After taking revenge on Richard Riakporhe in a rematch, the 35-year-old dropped the heavyweight belt lost by unanimous decision to Zurdo Ramirez in reunification in 2024
Billam-Smith (21-2, 13 KO) returned to winning ways after a points victory over Brandon Glanton in his last appearance in April last year.
Rozicki (21-1-1, 20 KO) has lost only once in his 23 professional fights, overtaken by Oscar Rivas in the fight for the WBC bridgeweight crown in 2021.
“The Bruiser” previously fought for the WBC interim cruiserweight title and drew against Yamil Alberto Peralta.
The 31-year-old Canadian returned to winning ways after knocking out Gerardo Mellado in the second round in March and will enter Saturday’s fight as the number one contender in the WBC rankings.
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Massey meets Clarke
Jack Massey meets Cheavon Clarke at the cruiserweight crossroads.
Massey (23-3, 13 KO) was knocked out by Opetaia in his fight for the 2024 IBF cruiserweight crown, but got back into the win column in November with a fourth-round stoppage of Ivan Gabriel Garcia.
Clarke (11-2, 8 KO), a 2020 Olympian, saw his progress ponderous after consecutive losses to Leonardo Mosquea and Viddal Riley.
After returning to play in December, the 35-year-old knocked out Anthony Holloway in the fourth round.
Undercard remaining
Lee Cutler (15-2, 7 KO) from Bournemouth moves to middleweight and can return to winning ways thanks to a points victory over Aaron Sutton (19-2, 3 KO).
Heavyweight Ivan Dychko (15-1, 14 KO) was defeated by Jermaine Franklin in September, but should bounce back by handing Harvey Dykes (7-0-1) his first loss after the break.
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Stephen McKenna (15-1, 14 KO) hasn’t fought since his loss to Cutler in 2024, but he should return after his victory over Casey James Streeter (15-3-2, 6 KO) in the middleweight division.
In the third middleweight fight, Sam Hickey (4-0, 1 KO) can break the undefeated record of Todd Tompkins (4-0) by scoring points.
Airy heavyweight Leon Hughes (4-0, 3 KO) and welterweight Alex Macmillan (3-0, 2 KO) should secure victories in their respective fights via stoppage.
The post Chris Billam-Smith vs. Ryan Rozicki – Gigantic Fight Preview and Predictions appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
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