Ricky Hatton has weighed in on Kell Brook’s desire to return to the ring following his retirement in 2022.
Brook hung up the gloves on a high after defeating longtime rival Amir Khan. Despite closing the book on his world title winning career, he has been consistently linked with comeback fights against either Conor Benn or Chris Eubank Jr.
It’s the latter that ‘Special K’ has most recently called out, but, speaking to Instant Casino, Hatton has advised his friend to consider what he will do without boxing.
“It’s well documented what happened to me, I didn’t want to retire and it was very, very hard. I worry for people like Kell Brook and Tyson Fury because I consider them my mates, but you have to start thinking about what you are going to do after boxing.
If Kell’s not happy and he needs to box again in order to make him happy, sooner or later the clock ticks down and we can’t go back to boxing anymore. We’re too old. I certainly reached that stage. I did my exhibition bout and it was brilliant, but then you have to find another road.”
Hatton has made no secret of his mental health struggles both during and after his career. With that experience behind him, he advised Brook to keep training but explore other options.
“Since I came out the other end of the tunnel after I had a mini breakdown, I found happiness. You’ve got to find other adventures; keep up with your training, hit the punch bag and it will make you feel better about yourself. But you have to realise the fighting won’t last forever, we don’t want to admit it, we wish it would go on forever.
I did my exhibition, then the Sky documentary, and I’ve just come off Dancing on Ice. Channel your time and set yourself a new goal because I wanted to box forever and it sent me loopy when it was time to retire. And I worry about Kell and Tyson, so they’ve got to find something else. Kell is fit enough to do an exhibition but my advice to Kell is: those exhibitions don’t last forever and when boxing’s gone something has to fill the void.”
Brook has said he is still officially retired, but has made it clear he’s open to facing both Eubank and Benn if the offer is right.