The Ariel Helwani Show - Ricky Hatton

Episode Date: June 9, 2022

The 43-year-old British boxing great, who returns to the ring on July 2 after a 10-year layoff, joins the show to discuss: Why he's decided to come back (6:40)  Struggles with depression and overcoming suicidal thoughts (10:19) Advice to fighters who can't find an identity after retiring (20:37) Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett’s weight issues (31:50) Sobriety (35:23) And much more.We are presented by NordVPN.  Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ariel Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!For more from Ricky, you can follow him on Twitter @HitmanHatton.If you want to support our show, simply give "The Ariel Helwani Show" a 5-star rating on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Theme music: "Frantic" by The Lovely Feathers

Hey everyone, hope you're doing well. It is Thursday, June 9th, 2022. Welcome back to a brand new edition of the Ariel Helwani Show. I, of course, am Ariel Helwani. It is so great to be here once again with all of you, and I want to thank my good friends, the lovely Feathers, for this great theme song. It is entitled Frantic, and I can't wait for their reunion. I think it comes later this year. I also can't wait for today's guest. Today's guest is a really, really special individual, one of my favorite boxers of all time. And I'm assuming if you like boxing, he's probably one of your favorites as well. Everyone loved Ricky Hatton

in his prime. Who didn't love? There's only one Ricky Hatton. Who didn't love that? Anytime he fought, it was a scene, it was a party, it was a show. And let me tell you something, even if you aren't a boxing fan, even if you aren't a sports fan, you will really appreciate this conversation because it really has nothing to do with boxing. So here's the thing. Ricky Hattdon is returning after almost 10 years away from the sport of boxing as a 43-year-old. He is returning on July 2nd to fight fellow legend Marco Antonio Barrera in a eight-round exhibition bout. But this isn't just a guy returning. This isn't just a guy coming back for one last moment in the sun. This is a guy who was on the verge of suicide not that

long ago. His issues, his trials and tribulations, his battles with substance abuse, with drugs, with alcohol, with weight gain, well documented, especially in the UK. For a minute, he was the butt of a joke. For a minute, it appeared as though his life wouldn't continue much longer. For a minute, a lot of people were afraid that the as though his life wouldn't continue much longer. For a minute, a lot of people were afraid that the great Ricky Hatton wouldn't be around much longer, and he's been able to turn his life around. He's been able to clean his life up. And if you've seen the photos on social media, ever since this fight has been announced, he has lost around 40 pounds. He looks fantastic. And when I was speaking to him, I was wondering if I was talking to Ricky Hatton circa 2009 or Ricky Hatton in 2022. So we talk a bit about why he's coming back,

but really about his lowest moments. And he was incredibly candid, very open about the low moments and how he was able to turn his life around and why he's so happy now. A very, very open and honest conversation with one of the most beloved boxers of the last 20, 30 years, the great Ricky, the hit Manhattan. I can't wait to share this with all of you. Stick around for it because it's a really great conversation. Again, even if you aren't a sports or boxing fan. Before we get to it, though, I do want to tell you once again about my good friends over at NordVPN. We love these guys. And in a couple of weeks, I'm going back home to Canada and I will need them because there's a lot of fights, a lot of events, a lot

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Please support them because they support us. Without further ado, here is my very candid, my very open, my very honest conversation with the great Ricky Hatton. Enjoy. Wow, look at this. What a massive honor to speak to the hitman himself, Ricky Hatton, one of the greatest of all time, one of the most beloved boxers of all time. And at 43 years young, he is returning on July 2nd at the AO Arena, a.k.a. the Manchester Arena, a.k.a. the Manchester Evening News Arena. It's going to be quite the scene against Marco Antonio Barrera.

I don't know if I'm speaking to the 2007 version of ricky hann right now or the 2022 version of him because i can hardly recognize the man ricky how are you i'm great and brilliant yeah it's going to be um going to be very um it's going to be brilliant going back to the uh to the manchester arena i had um so many fights there over the years i could have practically moved my bed in at one point. But no, it's good. I'm getting a lot of feedback. I've really enjoyed my training camp. I feel really, really good. A lot of feedback and positiveness from people saying how well I look.

And my son's not too happy because Campbell, my son Fox, he's now Campbell, and everyone says that we look like brothers now. I've lost a bit of weight. So he's not too happy about that. But no, everything positive. Everything really, really good. You say you lost a bit of weight. Could you tell us exactly when you accepted this fight against Marco Antonio Barrera, an exhibition bout,

how much did you weigh and how much do you weigh right now? I weighed, I know it's pounds for you guys in the States, but about 210. And how about now? And now I'm 11 stone eight, 11 stone 10, which is about 135. That's lower than 10 uh like around allow around 154 yeah about about 12 stones about 12 stones 11 11 yeah yeah about that so it's about um 40 to 50 pounds yeah

yeah yeah this is incredible so in in reality like you've already won right i mean of course you want to go out there and i know there's not going to be a winner declared, but just the fact that this has allowed you to lose the weight, clean up your life, live a healthy, happy lifestyle, get all this positive feedback. This has already been a success for you, right? It has. Yeah, very much so. I mean, obviously it's been a bad time for all of us, you know, with lockdown, you know,

with COVID and people's mental health. It's been a bad time. I lost family through mental health due to the COVID and I lost friends through COVID, as I'm sure a lot of us out there have. And I got a phone call one day and they said, listen, Ricky, we've heard a few comments of you that after the Roy Jones Mike Tyson exhibition where you was asked

if one of these exhibition bouts come forward for you would you be interested and I said yeah I'd be interested if the right people got involved and they could do the show justice with the right opponent and stuff like that

so then when I had the phone call, would I like to have a move around at the Manchester Arena with my friend Marco and Antonio Barrera as a bit of a celebration of everybody coming out of COVID, bearing in mind that I've lost friends through COVID and family through mental health and stuff like that. It was a very, very easy decision to make. And so actually, Marco has been a friend of mine for years and I've never shared, I never thought I'd ever share the ring with him,

but I'm getting to do that now. So I know how good he is, but I'm going to find out first hand just how good he is. So it's a dream in more ways than one. Not only is it about me, my own wellbeing and doing something positive, but if people can, can watch me on July 2nd and go, Oh my Lord, you remember Ricky Hatton a few years ago, how fat he was. He was suicidal. He was heavily drinking. He was into drugs. You know, I know what you can do when you put your mind to something. If, uh, if one person notices that,

then it's been a success. Considering how good you feel now, and let's say it goes well for you on the 2nd of July, is it possible this might be the return of more fights for you, or are you viewing this as a one-off? Um, I haven't looked that far forward to be honest with you. If it goes and it's the success, which, uh,

I know, I know it will be, um, yeah, I'd be open to, um, to looking at it. Yeah,

absolutely. And, um, but I think it's more, not just I'd be open to looking at it. Yeah, absolutely. But I think it's more not just me getting in shape because, I mean, when I was young, I used to put the weight on, you know what I mean? And I could always say, and I used to go down to the pub every night and I used to think, well, it doesn't matter because I'll be in training camp soon again

and I'll be able to get it off of that. But, you know, as you get to 43, there's not many more training camps to come to look forward to, is there? So I think this is going to be, because you get a little bit older, a little bit wiser, life slows down for us all. But I think this is a lifestyle change, you know, for me. You know what I mean? I can't make a comeback every time I want to shift a bit of weight,

kind of, you know what I mean? So it's the fact that I've had this opportunity again, get my weight down, looking healthy and everybody, I'm getting a huge buzz of people saying how well I look. And listen, if I go back to the old Ricky, I'm back up to the, you know, the 210, 215 pound mark, you know, we can't put an exhibition on every time we want ricky to lose a bit of weight you know so i think i've got to be um mature in the way i live my life

now and to be honest with you it's been like that for a few years guys to be honest with you you know um life slowed down a lot for ricky yeah yeah i i've heard you talk about this and i'm curious like at your lowest could you describe how you? I've heard you mentioned suicide and that's obviously a big term and I know it has affected your family. It's close to home for you, but where were you at, at your lowest and why were you at your lowest? Oh, I didn't want to, didn't want to, didn't want to think however I lived or died. You know, there was a, there was a few things. I mean, the defeat from Floyd Mayweather and I know granted it was Floyd Mayweather. I mean,, granted, it was Floyd Mayweather. I mean, you know, people would say, listen, there's no shame in that,

which there wasn't. But in my mind, you know, I was devastated. Do you know what I mean? Because I'm a fighter, I'm a champion. Even though it was Floyd Mayweather, I was still devastated. And it hit me really hard. And I made a comeback. I boxed at the City of Manchester stadium in my comeback fight in front of

60,000 fans. Um, always been a Manchester city, big man, city fan and to, to box at the stadium. That was brilliant. So my frame of mind was down after the Mayweather fight.

Then it was back up at boxing after city. But then I fell out with Billy Graham, who was my lifelong trainer. Cause, um, I felt that Billy was having, um, too many injury problems and he

couldn't do the job to the to the level he used to do so me and billy fell out which affected me really really hard because he wasn't just my trainer he was my um he was my one of my best friends and so that mentally put me down again then i um i boxed paulie malinaggi in las vegas you know and stopped paulie Paulie with a great performance. And then ultimately I got destroyed then by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds, which ultimately meant I had to retire. And shortly after the Pacquiao fight, I fell out with my mum and dad also. So you can see the snowball effect of mentally where my mind was going.

And when I had to retire, I had no boxing. He had no Billy Graham. I had no mum and dad who's been there from day one. I didn't care whether I lived or died and, you know, tried to slit my wrist on several occasions and was just everywhere I went. I just found I was crying morning, noon and night. It was an horrific, horrific time for me. And it's probably well more documented more

in the uk than back here back over there for you guys in the states but um um for someone who was so regarded so highly in british boxing or i don't like to say it but they say like a little bit of a national treasure treasure to be um to be in the state I was. It wasn't nice for family, friends, or the nation to see, I would say. How's your relationship now with your parents? That's the good thing that we're talking about. I've made up with Billy Graham. You know what I mean?

I've made up with my mom and dad, and it speaks to my mom and dad for seven years, but I've made up with my mom and dad. And as you get a little bit older, you know, you look at your outlook on life and you look at things a little bit differently. And, yeah, I'm in training, boxing. And I think to myself back then,

if I had have taken my life, you know, I wouldn't have made up with Billy Graham. I wouldn't have made up with my mum and dad. I wouldn't have seen my son, Campbell, turn professional. Campbell's seven unbeaten now, you know, as a professional. I'm also a grandfather now. You know, Campbell's a father.

So I have granddaughter, Lila. I have Millie and Fern and my two young girls. They were growing up to be wonderful young ladies. And I think to myself, if I had to talk my life, you know, look at all this, what I'd'd have lost I wouldn't have been in a busy I certainly wouldn't have been able to do this this comeback you know life is you know there's never

going to be I think like any champion out there you know once you've been a world champion and had that belt raised and your hand raised and in my case you know thousands of fans singing there's only one Ricky and I appreciate them days are gone but I would have missed out on so so much of life if I'd have taken my life and uh the best thing best advice I can give to anyone is do what I did I went and

spoke to someone I went and saw a doctor I threw myself on my knees put my arms around him I said I'm gonna kill myself I said I can do anything in that boxing ring but I said I can't I'm struggling with life and everything I said I want to kill myself and if you can't tell me kill myself. I said, I can do anything in that boxing ring. But I said, I can't. I'm struggling with life and everything. I said, I want to kill myself. And if you can't tell me what to do, I said, it's going to happen. And bit by bit, that's where we are today. You know, come out the other end and doing an exhibition with Marco at 43 years of age. When I look back at maybe 10, 11 years ago, when I nearly wasn't here, it makes me feel very proud and and by the way i can't thank

you enough for being this this open and candid uh not a lot of people would do that especially you know yeah exactly but i think the more open i am the more people out there whether you do whether in the uk or the united states because i think it's a going problem people's mental health all over the world isn't it really you know nobody wants to admit that they're crying every day. You know, nobody wants to admit that their head's falling. You know, if you say you suffer from mental health, everyone thinks you've lost the plot. But it's not.

It's an illness, and it's an illness that nobody can see. And unless you go and speak about it, nobody will know. And that's why so many people are taking their own lives. It's so, so important for me. And if I can have this exhibition for my own well-being, for people's well-being who are in the same boat as I was a few years ago, and hearing the crowd sing There's Only One Ricky Atten again with Marco Antonio Barrera, I can't see anything negative to come out of this event. And so I'm wondering, you know, going to speak to someone, a lot of people say that, but I think what people don't understand is how hard it is to make that phone call or take that first step to seek help. Who got you to seek help? Who pushed you in that direction? Because that is the toughest part at times. I don't know, because a lot of people knew that I wasn't in a

good place. You know, like me, you you know my partner at the time who my ex who I lived with Jennifer she knew I wasn't well but she didn't know to the extent I mean I was a boxing trainer you know when I retired from boxing I was a boxing trainer which I am now but when I first started as a boxing trainer I'd go to the gym you know tell a few jokes as I've always done and crack a few smiles and on the surface everyone in the gym thought Ricky was good and then I'd come home and before me you know before the missus had come home I'd be sat there crying and then all of a sudden when she'd come through the door I'd wipe the tears away so I think close family and and my partner at the time they knew I wasn't in a good

place but not to not to the extent I was because I wasn't telling anybody. And that's what people, especially men, probably ladies as well, but more so men, you know, nobody wants to, you know, ladies can discuss it with their friends, can't they, as ladies, you know, sometimes do. But, I mean, I can't, you know, phone my mates up and go, hey, mate, I'm crying all day because you feel like, you know, you feel like you're not a man if you like you know it's quite hard to explain but I hope you're painting a

picture of where I'm um where I'm coming from it was uh it was it was it was hard and you know the only time when people saw me was in a bad way it was when I would go out for a drink because I'd go out for a drink um whether I had a drink or not i was all i was crying constantly and all that but when i had a drink it it would it would cover the it would cover the cracks for a few hours but then it would make worse and people could see people locally you know that have been watching me for years i was gonna look back as you know ricky there in the corner crying what's up with him you know i mean he mean? It was, it was horrid to see. So the feedback I'm getting from family, friends, and just people when I'm walking down the street locally, you've seen me in them bad times and are seeing me now.

It's great. You know, so I feel like I'm, I'm not just helping myself with this exhibition. I'm helping others. Do you believe any part of the, uh, the issues that you dealt with had to do with you know just the fact that you were punched in the head a lot like do you feel like cte played a role in any of this um absolutely not no i think you know if you think to yourself you know you you got my first knockout defeat by mayweather so i was down you know then i boxed at manchester city i was up you know then i um then i fell out with Billy Graham. I was down.

Then I beat Malinardi. I was up. Then I got knocked out by Pacquiao and had to retire and I was down and then fell out with my parents. It's pretty clear, I think, the reason why my head fell off as a UK scene, why my head fell off. I think it's pretty clear to see. And, you know, I wasn't the most talented fighter

there's ever been. I wasn't the greatest fighter there's ever been by a long long shot but I was a proud fighter and when um defeats like that came along and things going wrong in my personal life because I'm a very very proud man it probably affected me probably more than it would probably do the you know to the every the average the average Joe if you like you know i mean that it was it was a real real uh real real horrific time and um the first question was asked you know when i said that i was going to do this exhibition about was come from family and friends and loved ones and you know like that oh ricky what you doing this exhibition for oh don't let's not go through

it again oh what we don't want to see you get hurt but as they've seen what it's done for me mentally and physically and and and the positive enough and what i'm doing for other people's well-being as well seeing what a good what good spirits and what good um shape i'm in it's words and i think um you can tell me now my my mate that i think if um you know through getting punched to the head i don't think i have slur of speech you know i don't i don't i wouldn't say i'm intelligent by any means but i you know i i don't think i talk with a slur to speech i don't think i talk a load of rubbish i think i'm talking a lot of sense you know a lot of listeners out there will see my point and where I'm coming from.

I like to think when you listen and look at me, you don't see someone who's been affected from that side of the game. I think I'm in as good a shape as I've ever been physically and mentally. In fact, it's been wonderful from the moment I had to see this. Never mind the shape, the physical condition you're in. Just looking in my eyes, all clear in my speech and how positive I am. They were worried about me doing the exhibition at first, but now their worries have been put to bed because of what they're seeing in front of them. It was so much fun to watch you when you're in your prime because I can't think of many other fighters that were so beloved, especially by their home nation,

and your fans would travel regardless of where you fought. Blue Moon was, it's one of the greatest entrances of all time. The chant, there's only one Ricky Haddon, it's iconic. And I'm wondering, because of all of that, is there any advice, if any, that you could give to a fighter in your shoes? Because I would imagine one of the toughest things to deal with as a fighter is when that music stops, right? When those chants stop, when you just become a regular guy and you're not being showered with praise, fighting in front of 18, 20, 60,000 people.

How do you deal with that? Us common people don't understand that, but at some point it just ends. How do you cope with that? Yeah, it's very hard. And I think if any advice I could give, you've got to give yourself something to do on a daily basis. You've got to fill your minutes of your day up. You know what I mean? The thing is with boxers, you know, it's a very, you know, when you first lace the gloves on, you know, you either love boxing or you don't. The first time you get punched on the nose, you think either it's not for me or you don't. And it's a very addictive sport. And I think, you know, you know, you don't share it with 10 teammates or, you know, nine or 10 or 11 teammates.

You know what I mean? You know, to stand in that ring in front of thousands of people on television across the United States and across the UK and having your hand raised, you know, it's very hard to walk away from that. And that's why I struggled with it. But I think you've got to have a backup plan because, I mean, boxers, you know, we don't last forever. Do you know what I mean? You know, you've got to, I think you've got to look after your money. You've got to look after your health because, I mean,

nine times out of 10, most boxers will retire at 34, but your money has still got to last you. You've still got a life after boxing when you're 34 onwards, you know what I mean? So you've got to, I think, before you retire, I put the bricks in place, you know, of what you're going to do after your retirement. Because boxers know I've only got a couple of years left.

I mean, when it's strung on you, you think, oh, no, I need to retire now. What am I going to do now? That's the hardest thing. But if you turn around and say listen yeah i've got a couple more fights in me and you know i think you've got a plan for the future because you know it's not like you know you know the majority of people that work until they're 50 55 60 even or something like that we're done for 34 and you've got a whole lot of living in front of you still when you retire from boxing at 33 34 years of age and you've got to find something that makes you happy and fills

the gap you'll never fill the gap because there's as i mentioned you know just stand in that ring you know and have your hand raised against in front of thousands of people you'll never replace that but you've got to you've got to find the next best thing. And I think the sooner you can get the foundations in place, I think the better you'll be when you do hang them up, yeah. It's so great to be speaking to you, but especially this week, just a couple of days ago over the weekend

was the 17th anniversary of perhaps your greatest triumph, your win over Costa Zoo. And I believe that was the first time you were an underdog. A lot of people didn't think you'd be able to do it and you rose to the occasion and that I think was the victory that everyone started to like say oh my god this guy is legit he's not just a British fighter what sticks out the most when you think back to that incredible night when you pulled off that great victory what like when you first start thinking about it what memories come to mind um well it said at the time that if i was

able to pull off the victory it would go down as one of the greatest ever wins in a british boxing ring and and that's what i'm very proud to say it was he was such a formidable champion and formidable puncher and the fact that nobody really gave me gave me a chance you know because you know you know you know my everyone knows my style i was was 100 mile an hour, do you know what I mean? And my defence wasn't the greatest. You know, sometimes I'd take three or four to get one in sometimes foolishly. And you don't want to take three or four off Koshy Zoo, do you, to be honest with you? So I think people were supporting me, even the Manchester crowd on the night.

They were behind me. They supported me. They wanted me to do it, you know, as I was one of their own. But I think there was, you could see there was a nerve, I could feel in the ring and in the changing rooms on the night, there was like a nervous tension in the crowd where, listen, you know, your heart's in the right place and our hearts right behind you, Ricky, but we don't fancy your chances too much here. But my game plan and our game plan was to stick to him when most people were feared of his power. One of my greatest attributes was, you know, I had no fear. I was very brave, you know what I mean? And I thought if I can move in on him quickly, I take the sting out of his right hand.

And if I can stay on his chest and work away, then, you know, I'm leaning on him a bit, you know, as the fight goes on, I'll be able to drain him of his strength and sap him a little bit. Then put my foot on the gas, as they say down the home straight. And the tactics were,

were perfect. But cause he was such a well-known fighter, such a well-known champion. I think he was pound for pound number two at the time, if I'm not mistaken. It's, it went down as one of the greatest british wins ever in a british ring and it obviously because the champion he was it

obviously made a splash over in the united states which opened the door for me for so many um wonderful fights wonderful times and wonderful memories fighting the united states you know i mean it opened the doors you know i beat Carlos Mouser to unify the belts after. And then I went over and then the United States journey started for me. First in Boston against Luis Calazo and then I beat Juan Urango in Las Vegas

followed by Jose Luis Castillo and then the fights with Floyd and Malinardi and Manny. Still talks, you know, still some of my greatest moments. And even though I said that I struggled with the Mayweather defeats and the Pacquiao defeats, yeah, that was back then. But the Ricciata now looks back with them with so much pride. And when people from Manchester and England,

they still talk about them this day, certainly the one against Floyd. And I think, I like to think I speak for Floydyd because i went and watched floyd when he fought manny uh and um i don't think it was close to the atmosphere around the casinos and around las vegas and around the script that it was when when i fought floyd it was it was unbelievable and of course me uh me and floyd were so different personality wise it was like you know remember the 24-7 program, which was fantastic for viewers. He was like good cop, bad cop, wasn't he? You know, Floyd was the bad guy. I was the good guy and Floyd's a master boxer and I was the scrapper brawler. And he's showing off all his bling, you know, and I was in the pub having a beer.

You know what I mean? It it we saw like it made that that 24-7 build-up was really something else and then and i think i like to think i speak for floyd i don't think floyd's had a fight with that build up that atmosphere that people in in the casinos you know that you you just couldn't move for fight fans and um it ended in defeat it was one of my proudest ever moments and i i will always feel blessed that i was um i think i earned my right to fight floyd because of who would be up to there you know but i i'll be forever grateful that i was born in the era of floyd mayweather because uh he gave me so many great times and changed my life for my family. And there's the big Brits that will be talking about that fight and all the fights in the United States.

I had to the day they die. It was a sensational time for me and my fans. Dare I say that's the best 24-7. My friends and I would often recite one of your lines from 24-7, that one, look at me, jewels, look at me, rings,

look at me, custom made suits. Who gives a fuck? You were making fun of him. Yeah. It was always about all that stuff. It was, it was tremendous stuff.

And yeah, well, Floyd was trying to get under my skin and I, you know, my, my way was, he's never, cause I never disrespectful to my opponents or to anyone,

but you know, my, I, I, I, I, I had a, used to have a go back with humor dinner,

you know what I mean? You know, well, for it to be serious, taking the Mickey and, you know, I used to have a go back with humour, didn't I? You know what I mean? You know, Floyd would be serious, taking the mickey. And, you know, I'd have a one-liner or a gag or something like that. And I think even Floyd must have been scratching his head thinking, what's up with this kid? What's it all about? But wonderful times, wonderful times. And, you know, it just shows you what a nice place I'm in,

where I struggled so hard with with them defeats to now that i can sit here and talk to you and laugh and joke and and talk about good times and that's exactly what they were they were very good times by the way i'm wondering uh and correct me if i'm wrong your first entrance to or maybe introduction to combat sports was actually kickboxing but But because of your, you know, your length, your stature, someone suggested that boxing might be better. And I understand that you grew up sort of, you know, looking up to and admiring Bruce Lee. And so I'm wondering if mixed martial arts UFC was as popular back then as it is today, would Ricky hadn't have gone down

the MMA route because of these, these interests? Um, I don't know. Probably, probably not. I think that, um, I think if it had gotten early and that, uh,

that, that took me, um, I don't, there's someone who taught me how to grapple because I mean, you know, I was a pretty good grappler in the boxing, nevermind,

um, mixed martial arts. But I think, I think if there if someone had shown me I'd have probably probably took to it because you know

that's pretty much what I was like is kicking in mixed martial arts so to be honest with you I you know

for the same reason why my legs were too short I wasn't very good at the kicking I don't think I'd have been very good at the kicking in mixed martial arts either

but I could punch I could grapple. So, you know, probably I could, you know, you never know. There's probably cause for saying that I may have gone down that route, you know, as I was short, stocky, strong. If I got it on the mat, I think I'd stand a pretty good chance, you know what I mean? But I was good with my fists. But I think I might have still gone the boxing route

if I'm brutally honest because I was such um I was such a boxing anorak in the sense I was um a boxing historian from a very very young age you know I used to watch all the the great fighters and the tapes remember Mike Tyson was one of the best back in the day one who used to get all the videos out of all the champions of old and And that's exactly what I was like. So I always set my sights on going professional, being a world champion. I mean, I boxed very well for England as an amateur. I got a bronze in the world juniors

and won nine national titles in the UK. So it was probably an argument, maybe I could have gone to the Olympics, but I think deep down in my heart, I wanted to be like a Nigel Benn, know to throw a few Brits names you know I wanted to be you know I wanted to be like a Roberto Duran or Sugar Ray Leonard or what you see my names up in the strip and that was from a very very young age so yeah even if martial arts might have come along at the time and was about at the time yeah i'd have no doubt i'd have looked at

it and get it a go but um i think boxing was always going to be my route yeah uh just have a couple more questions and i'll let you go and again thank you so much for the time there's there's actually a big ufc star right now who's reminiscent of you i don't know if you're familiar with him he's from liverpool his name is paddy pimblitt and why i bring him up to you is uh he has been knocked especially over the last few months because the baddie yes i've heard of him yeah yeah yeah he gets very big in between fights and it's reminiscent of your don't introduce him to me then he's no chance well would you would you you know looking back and he he says no problem he makes 145 so he gets really

big but then when it's time to get serious but would you advise him to not let himself get so big like looking back on your career i would advise him to yeah to be honest with you i mean to me personally um i think people followed ricky hatton because um i'd like to be i was down to earth he had my feet on the ground i never never bad-mouthed an opponent i was i good fun to be around. I was humorous. I was funny. And my style of fighting, body punching and attacking, and the fact that I'd move up and down in weights, I'd fight anybody.

I think that's why I had my fan base. But I think people followed me because I was, there's a saying in England, you know, scallywag a bit, but you're the lad, you know, that type. And because I'd finish a fight, then I'd be down the pub and then I'd be, you know, I'd be in the McDonald's, you know what I mean? And then I'd, you know, be playing darts in the pub

or you'd see me on the turnstiles at Man City. And people used to, they could relate to me because I was no different to the people that supported me. And I think that's why my fan base and why why it still is as popular as it is now is because it wasn't just the boxing with me it was the other so I wouldn't change anything personally because I think the fan base that I have which is my greatest ever achievement is what it is because because I was a dickhead you know if that makes sense so but I am a trainer now campbell my son's gone professional

you know i mean he's trained by my brother matthew i manage him i train um about five or six seven unbeaten um beating professional prospects all coming through and um i tell them you know i say do as do as i say not as i do you know i mean it's one of them with me you know i weigh them before every session i weigh them before every session. I weigh them after every session. If they have a few weeks off in between the fights, they've got to come back a certain weight because I'm a firm believer.

I think I could have been an even better boxer. I've maybe could have got a few more years out of my career if it had looked after myself. You know what I mean? I thought, very proud to say, I fought at world level against some of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. And I did it with one hand behind my back because it was a dickhead with what I put in my mouth.

So, so I would advise him, you know, listen, no, I mean, for a short, and it's a short career, it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Anything you can do to damage your body, stay away from it. You know what I mean? Just for them few years to dedicate yourself. And then, you know, when you're sat in your big house, you sit back and go, you know what I did right then. But I mean, personally, I wouldn't change anything for the world because people love me for that side of me. But as I'm moving forward and trying to give advice to the people that are coming through, no, no, no. Live like Floyd Mayweather. live every day as a professional. And I tell you what, you know, it's not just his ability, why Floyd's what he is, why he's where he is now today, still in the unbelievable shape because he looks after his body and, you know, and that's, that's what you've got to do. You know what I mean? Our job, we don't go stacking shelves or anything like that. Our job

pays, our body pays the bills. So don't do anything that will ruin it, I think. And you mentioned the drinking and obviously you had your issues with uh substance abuse are you completely clean now absolutely yeah it's um been a long time um was a long time coming but um yeah i consider myself now as a boxing trainer i'm making this exhibition about obviously you know if so i'm doing that i'm a motivational speaker and and ambassador for for mental health you know um nowadays and i see my days you know these people whether it be whether it be addiction problems whether it be mental health or depression or you know or anything like that i see that as much as me my job today you know because people who have i've been i've had that you know

substance abuse i've had that you know depression i've had that suicidal side side in my game you know what i mean but these these things you can do in order to you know knock it on the head you can knock it on the head and you can come through it and you know what you can you can be you might not be doing an exhibition with marco antonio barr, but you can be sat where I'm sat, you know, healthy, in a good place, doing your family thing, doing your day-to-day job. And, you know, life goes on without all that shit. And you can get over it if you do the right things. Do you still speak to a therapist? I have a therapist on speed dial, to be honest with you.

You know, if anything, there's anything wrong, but I'm very very very proud to say I've not spoke to him for five or six years and I know he's always there if need be and that's what I think that's what I still have bad days sometimes I wake up in the morning and I think I feel like shitty what's up with me

and you don't know but I have a regime and a routine that I've been that I've done that keeps me positive if I'm feeling a little bit down in the dumps i'll go to the gym and i'll do a few rounds on the bag and then i'll come home i'll have a cup of tea or a coffee and then i'll go down the gym and train me lads and then i'll you know i'll pick me my granddaughter up and and just things that make you smile keep you busy finish your time for your minutes during the day. And believe it or not, then you come to, you know,

you feel like shit in the morning. Then you come to tea time, dinner time, and you're bouncing again, you know. Or you can do what I did for years, just sit on your sofa, just moaning to yourself and complaining about how bad things have gone to, you know? I mean, it's a sad situation for people to be in, but you've got to get off your ass and you've got to do it. And there's only you can, and if you can, you can turn your life around. Last question. And, uh, I feel like it's an obvious one, but I would, I would kick myself if I didn't ask July 2nd, Manchester arena, Marco Antonio Barrera versus Ricky Haddon, exhibition bout.

You are walking out to Blue Moon, yes? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, with a few little tweaks and a few little things that I like to think the fans will enjoy. But, I mean, I think nobody's been to a Ricky Haddon fight, whether it be a fight or an exhibition or whether you hear me do me stand up or whatever, I like to think you're always going to get enjoyment when you

go and watch Ricci out and whatever he does and July the 2nd will be the same. Will be absolutely the same, to be honest. And to do it, you know, I feel so privileged to be able to do it with Marco Antonio Barrera. I tell you what, anyone who's going to be there,

and for me to hear that roar of the crowd one last time, it's going to be a very, very special night for me and anyone who's bought a ticket or anybody who tunes in to watch it. Yeah. And very cool to see two UFC legends on the card as well. Dan Hardy going up against Diego Sanchez in a boxing bout. This was a massive honor for me. I watched your entire career. I was a massive fan of yours. And just the opportunity to sit down and talk to you and see you in such a great spot mentally, physically is a real delight, not just for me, but all your fans, you know this already. I wish you nothing but the best, not only on July 2nd, but in the future to you and your family, your son Campbell, who's doing great as well. Thank you so much for the time, Ricky.

Yeah, my pleasure. And thanks very much to all so much for the time, Ricky. My pleasure. And thanks very much to all the fans from the United States, to be honest with you. I was so, you know, the greatest part of my, one of the greatest part of my career was coming over to the United States and I hope to be back there. No, I'm not fighting, but I just want to say how appreciative I was for the fans from the US for the support that they give me all over the years. Wonderful times, wonderful memories that took into

retirement with me. Thank you, Ricky. All the best. All the best, everyone. How good was that? Ricky Hatton, what a gem of a human being. Gets right into it. I mean, usually you have to build up to stuff that he was just talking about. He was just ready to go, ready and willing to talk about his lowest moments, his dark days, a true inspiration. So great to see him in such a great spot mentally, physically. And I got to say, he sold me on this. I'm going to be watching July 2nd. It'll be in the afternoon here in the United States, right before a very busy night in combat sports with UFC 276 happening that night and WWE's Money in the Bank. But I'll be watching on July 2nd, Marco Antonio Barrera versus Ricky

Hatton. Also, as we mentioned, Dan Hardy versus Diego Sanchez in a boxing match. What's better than that? Thank you very much to Ricky Hatton for the time. What a great thrill it was to speak to him. I've been watching him for so many years. And the guy's an inspiration. You can kind of tell why he has been so beloved for so long. He's just a regular bloke, a regular guy with his heart on his sleeve. He's got his faults, his ups, his downs, but he's willing to share them and be an inspiration. And with everything going on in the world, it's nice to see a guy like Ricky Hatton turn his life around and get into this kind of shape.

Again, both mentally and physically. So that was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for listening. Thank you for your support. Please continue to rate, download, subscribe, review, the little star thingy, the little comments, all these things help.

And if you wanna watch my interview with Ricky Hatton and you wanna see how good he looks, go to youtube.com slash Ariel Helwani. Right now it's up and you'll be able to see just how good this man looks at 43 years young. And he's posted some pictures. He's come a long way from how he looked, you know, just a few months ago, let alone a few years ago. Shout out to Ricky Hatton. A lot of great conversations up there on the YouTube page, on this feed as well. So please do check them out. Thank you very much to Ricky Hatton. Thank you to NordVPN. Thank you to the production team. And thanks, as always, to all of you for your support. Love you all. Appreciate you all very

much. Hope you have a lovely weekend and we shall be back next week for another great conversation. All right. Talk to you then. Take care.