There’s only one Ricky Hatton, one Ricky Hatton. Even US boxing fans reacted with dismay as one of the working class heroes of boxing, Ricky Hatton, finally hung up his gloves.

Hatton was catapulted to stardom as his Mancunian brawling technique in boxing saw him capture a light welterweight title from Australian legend Kostya Tszyu, who had reigned for 10 years. Hatton was a massive underdog, but in true style, he stuck his chin out and took every blow that came, and managed to force Tszyu to throw in the towel for a TKO.

He bounced up and down weight classes, taking title after title, and finally set up a superfight against the slick Floyd Mayweather Junior. Floyd totally outclassed Hatton, and eventually got a KO in stunning fashion.

Ricky bounced back, trouncing the US’s Paulie Malignaggi in his comeback fight, but the writing was on the wall. Between fights, the Hitman’s weight started to balloon and his pie-eating and beer-swilling began to reach epic proportions. But ever likeable, the Mancunian took on Malignaggi and walked to the ring wearing a ‘fatsuit’ and he called himself Ricky Fatton.

The hitman took Malignaggi apart, but the flaws were beginning to show. He was getting slower, each punch seemed to hurt more, and though he was never one for head movement, he seemed to have taken an awful lot of shots in that fight.

The fans and the promoters loved him, and that led to a fight being set up with Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao. The result was brutal. Hatton was flattened by one of Pacman’s first punches, and it was all over in Round Two. Hatton stopped to reflect. It was two years ago and sadly the inactivity led him to turn to cocaine to find solace. Luckily, his down-to-earth family took him in tow and got him into rehab before he went too far down the slippery slope. He lost his boxing licence, but carried on as a promoter.

Just like any other person who falls into bad ways, Ricky deserved a second chance. He has come back stronger, and has confirmed his retirement. He apologised to his legion of fans for letting them down with his drug slip, and has pledged to put things right by continuing to help his local community, something he has done while a nobody, a contender, a champ, and now a retired legend. Ricky Hatton, a working man’s hero.