British boxing legend Ricky Hatton has shed light on his incredible weight loss which has whipped him into unbelievable shape for his exhibition bout this weekend.
Hatton will take on fellow legend of the sport, Marco Antonio Barrera, at the AO Arena in Manchester this Saturday, ten years on from his retirement from professional boxing.
Ahead of the exhibition, ‘The Hitman’ spoke to The Sun about his training camp and how the key was to have a specific target to aim for.
“When I jumped on the scales at the start of training it was 15st 4lbs and the weigh-in is this Friday which is made at 11st 7lbs, and I’m 11st 7lbs now.
It’s been great to give myself a target, a goal.
Physically I’d look in the mirror at 15 stone and think, ‘Rick, you don’t look too bad’ and it never bothered me while I was fighting, because in six or seven weeks I’d be back training and it would come off anyway.
But I’m 44 now, I can’t keep dragging some poor f***er out of retirement every time I want to get some weight off!
I’ve had so many messages of support from people who have struggled with their weight. They say to see me from where I was a few years ago to where I am now is an inspiration.”
It’s clear that the exhibition this weekend isn’t the only driver for two-weight world champion Hatton, with wellbeing holding just as much importance to the Manchester icon. That doesn’t mean he’s not excited for the bout though.
“It makes me feel very, very proud that I’m not just going to be back in the ring again, and hear the roar of the crowd again, but it’s also that it’s inspired people. That’s more important for me.
I’ll hear the crowd roar again and share the ring with Marco, it’s a dream. I can’t see anything negative about it.”
Barrera, who is predominantly known in the UK for being the only man to defeat Prince Naseem Hamed, was a multiple weight world champion like Hatton and has shared the ring with the likes of Manny Pacquaio and Juan Manuel Marquez. He has been retired since 2011.
Hatton vs Barrera was a fight we never got to see in the professional ring, but the two are ready to roll back the years this Saturday on Sky Sports.