By Jenna Jay - Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton, a fighter once known for being one of the biggest stars and box office draws in all of boxing has decided to make a comeback at the age of 34. Coming off a devastating loss in just 2 rounds to Manny Pacquiao, people wondered if we had seen the last of the Hitman. I recently had a chance to interview Ricky on my boxing radio program "On The Ropes" to discuss why he has decided to return to the ring and what he truly expects to get out of his comeback that begins on November 24th against former world champion Vyacheslay Senchenko. Here is what Ricky had to say in part one of my two part interview. (You can also press play on the green audio icon embedded on this page and listen to the full interview now... please allow 10 to 15 seconds for buffering.)

Jenna Jay: It's been over 3 years since we last saw you in the ring Ricky, for all the fans listening out there, why have you decided to come back?

Ricky Hatton: That’s probably the most asked question that most people have asked me to be honest with you, and you know a lot of people are concerned for me and that’s nice to hear you know, they say well Ricky you've done your self-proud, you've had a great career, we don’t want to see you get hurt, you know there is no shame in losing to Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, but I mean, they don’t have to deal with the ghosts and the demons that have been going on between in my ears, since I've been retired I’ve had a lot of personal problems away from boxing and no fighter wants to see their career to end like the way it did for me in 2 rounds in slam me back in Las Vegas against Manny Pacquiao, and the troubles that in my personal life, what I ended with myself within that 3 year period, it certainly is not how Ricky Hatton saw his career ending.

I’ve got a lot of demons and I got a lot ghosts to lay to rest, and bit by bit I got my desire back my hunger back, I feel a lot better in my personal life, and I feel a lot better as Ricky Hatton as a person, and of course doing my promoting, with Hatton promotions, training fighters,  and being in the gym every day, and looking at myself better again, healthier.  I absolutely got my spark back even more, there is no one particular boxing match, or coming back winning a world time, it’s a lot more than a boxing match for me, it’s about redeeming myself, and making people feel proud of me like the way they once did, because i feel like, what happened in that 3 years’ time, is that I lost the respect of my peers, people in boxing, my community, my country, and I want to make my family my kids proud of me again.

Jenna: Ricky when you first started getting back in the gym, when did you realize that you would be able to make a comeback?

Hatton: I started training fighters, you know, I trained 4-5 fighters, and in doing so, I actually got myself in better shape, going into gym every day, I started to getting fitter, and I got real passion and love for the game back again, and in working with the boys I got a little fitter and lost weight, and I started to feel better about myself and healthier, and started to train myself again, I started to hit the bags and pads, and doing the road work on my own, and bit by bit it came back. Feeling better as a person you know, and I got the urge, and I started to think about things, I had a wonderful career, but I am going to be remembered by getting knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in 2 rounds, and I am going to get remembered by all the bullshit for what happened in the 3 years’ time and space, and it’s not how I want my career to end, so I decided you know and I had some real serious thought for those who are closest to me, and it was serious thinking, and I’ve got hunger back like never before due to the fact I feel like I messed up my life so much

Jenna: Alright, well you are set to return November 24th, and you will be in there with a former world champion who is just one fight out from losing his title in Vyacheslay Senchenko. Why have you choose such a tough opponent in your first fight back?

Hatton: It is yeah, but that’s the way I picked it,  you know Ricky will have his fans and his critics, but at the end of the day what I like to do is reach 5 fans in the U.S or 5 fans in Great Britain, the ones that like Ricky Hatton, there is no B.S what you see what you get, I want to fight the best, I am proud to say the only 2 of the best fighters in my era are the ones that have beaten me, and in coming back, its more about a boxing match than me, it’s about redeeming myself, and if I am to challenge for a world title again, I can’t fight someone like Mr. Bean, can I, you know I got to fight someone who is world ranked and somebody that all the world champs that like will  take me seriously, look I am not calling anyone out,  or I am not saying I want to get in the ring with him, him or him, I might have been of been gone for the last 3 ½ years, but my mentality has never changed, I want to fight the best, I want a test, if I am going to challenge for the world title in the future, I think these world champions are going to take me a lot seriously if I find somebody that’s a worthy opponent I think.

Jenna: Ok, well the opponent you selected lost his title to Paulie Malignaggi, and of course you have a win over Paulie. Did seeing someone that you beat convincingly in the past go on to win a world title play any factor in you making this return?

Hatton: Of course it has something to do with it, but ultimately like I said earlier, its success that I am climbing in the ring full step from where I’ve been. I've had the depression, I was suicidal, I had gotten myself in all kinds of trouble, just the fact that I am in the shape that I am physically today, is a win already for me, as a fighter I got back into it, I got my hunger back, my desire back from my losing days, feeling better about myself, I would look and watch fighters from a distance, such as you know Paulie Malignaggi is one of them, Amir Khan I followed a little bit, Timothy Bradley, and people like that,  and I feel like if I could have a shot at any of them, but 3 1/2 years is a long time, and when you see how I lost to Manny Pacquiao, it would be very foolish of me to shout out names like that, so I will prove to people on November 24th that there is plenty in the tank as far as Ricky Hatton goes.

Part 2 of my exclusive interview with Ricky Hatton: Hatton: "I fought Mayweather, I was down, but as long as I was breathing in that ring you know I was trying to Knock him out!"

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I’d like to send out a special thanks to Tim for helping to bring this article to boxing readers.  

LISTEN NOW! Just press play on the (arrow icon) green player to listen to this week's show (please allow 10-15 seconds to buffer) with Ricky Hatton, Paulie Malignaggi and Tyson Fury.

The return of boxing fan Mailbag:

I will also be having the return of my boxing fan Mailbag segment. If you have any questions for me that you would like to get out on the show, be sure you send them to @jennaontheropes (@JennaOnTheRopes) at Twitter and to my email ontheropesboxingradio@gmail.com.

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