EXCLUSIVE
RICKY HATTON: I tried to kill myself several times after devastation of defeat to Floyd Mayweather
Ricky Hatton has pinpointed his defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr as the moment his mental health spiralled in a frank conversation with Jim White.
The 44-year-old enjoyed a wonderful career in boxing, winning multiple world championships at light-welterweight and one at welterweight in a glittering career.
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With a record of 43-0, Hatton was beaten by Mayweather Jr at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in December 2007 by TKO, a result that the Manchester-born star admits was particularly tough to take and led to years of mental torment and suicidal thoughts.
But speaking on White and Jordan in his role of ambassador for mental health charity CALM [Campaign Against Living Miserably], Hatton says that it took hitting rock-bottom for him to seek help for himself.
Responding to Jim White asking if he'd had his low spots, Hatton said: “Very much so. The reason why I do so much for these mental health and anti-suicide charities is because of the stuff I’ve experienced.
“I’ve been a grandfather, I’ve seen Campbell [Hatton] turn professional, I fell out with [former trainer] Billy Graham a few years ago and made up with him, but I nearly took my own life. I didn’t want to be here.
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“The life that Ricky Hatton is having today and the stuff that I’m enjoying today, I know there’s people out there who are in the same boat that I was in and I want to be able to help.
“If they’re more likely to listen to Ricky Hatton then I’m doing a good job, to be honest with you.
“We’ve had a terrible time. We’ve just come out of COVID where we’ve spent lots [of time] in our houses and away from our friends, our families and our loved ones and then the minute that we get out the cost of living crisis has happened and so for that reason mental health is certainly a part of it.
“People’s heads are falling off because of what’s happened recently and there is help there for you.
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“At CALM, there’s a helpline there for you and you can get on it from 5 o’clock until midnight. If you’re having a bit of a bad time then phone up on 0800 58 58 58. If you’re having a bit of trouble, or a tough time I promise you don’t have to sit there in silence. It’s hard to be on your own but phone this number and whatever is on your mind, get it off your chest.”
Asked about his own experiences, Hatton said: “It was very, very hard. My son, Campbell and my girlfriend at the time got pregnant with my first daughter, Millie, and I thought ‘come on Rick, it’s not about you anymore, it’s about your family and your kids’.
“I thought that would turn the corner for me but even my daughter being born couldn’t do it for me. I thought I’m not going to be able to do this on my own if even my daughter, who I love dearly, isn’t getting me back on track.
“It proves that I can’t do it on my own so I saw I psychiatrist. He opened the door and I fell on my knees, put my arms around his legs and said ‘you need to tell me what to do here – I won’t be here next week. If you don’t tell me what to do I will kill myself’ and it was the best thing I ever did.
“Getting it off your chest and sharing – it’s hard for men. You can’t go in your local and say to your friends that you’re crying every day and you want to kill yourself so you keep it inside you and it’s the worst thing that you can do.
“If I had taken my own life, I wouldn’t have seen Campbell go professional, I wouldn’t have been a granddad, I wouldn’t have seen my daughters turn into the lovely people that they are.”
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Asked what had been the catalyst in his struggles, Hatton explained: “It started with Mayweather. I was down, I was devastated and just in a mindset of highs and lows.
“I’d been beaten by Floyd Mayweather and people said, ‘well it’s Mayweather, there’s no need to be embarrassed’ but I thought I was going to beat him. When I didn’t, I took it hard. I felt like packing the game in and I decided to carry on and boxed at the City Of Manchester Stadium [now Etihad Stadium] in front of 55,000 people, so that was a dream to fight at the City stadium so mentally. I was back up.
“Shortly after I fell out with Billy Graham, my trainer and one of my best friends, so I was down and devastated by that.
“I fought Paulie Malignaggi and I was up again, then I was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds, so mentally I was down and then I fell out with my mum and dad. I sat in the living room one day and thought I’ve got to retire now after the Pacquiao fight. I thought my best days are behind me so I had no boxing, no mum and dad, no Billy Graham, I was on my own and single at the time so no missus and I thought ‘what do I need to be here for?’ I’ve worked so hard and I can’t share it with anyone and I didn’t care if I lived or died and it was a horrific, horrific time.
“I tried to kill myself several times and when I look at my life today, there’s things that I’m so grateful for.
“I could do anything in that boxing ring but could I sort out my mental problems and what was going on between my ears? I couldn’t, so I went and spoke with someone and that’s why I’m involved with the CALM charity because it’s so important to me.
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“I know there’s people out there and if you are listening, go and speak to someone, please.”
For more information or for a confidential chat, contact CALM on 0800 58 58 58 from 5pm to midnight or visit the
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