Ricky Hatton inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame

The 2024 inductee class for the International Boxing Hall of Fame included one of the greatest inside fighters to ever grace the squared circle, Ricky “the Hit Man” Hatton.

This past Sunday in Canastota, New York, Hatton was joined by British women’s boxing trailblazer Jane Couch. American Michael Moorer, Mexico’s Ana Maria Torres, Puerto Rican Ivan Calderon, and American two-weight world champion Diego Corrales, who tragically died aged 29 in a 2007 motorcycle accident.

As great as all of these fighters are, none lit up boxing as brightly as did Ricky Hatton. A master of the body shot, nobody practiced the art of inside punching better than the Hit Man. His destruction of Kostya Tzsyu was a masterclass on body work.

Known to American fight fans mainly for his controversial loss to Floyd Mayweather, Hatton was hounded by demons following that fight. Referee Joe Cortez refused to allow any inside work at all, instead breaking the two boxers and artificially forcing the fight back outside, working to Mayweather’s strengths. TV cameras picked up Cortez congratulating Mayweather both before and after the bout, leading to Hatton and most of the foreign press to accuse Cortez of purposely handcuffing the British champion and gift-wrapping the win for Las Vegas’ favorite son.

Never regaining his composure again, Hatton went on to lose to Manny Pacquiao before retiring far too soon at the age of 31. An ill-advised comeback three years later saw him defeated a final time for a 45-3 record.

Throughout his career, Hatton was known to balloon up in weight in between bouts, leading to the British press to refer to him as “Ricky Fatton.” He would cut so much weight for a fight that it would often shock people when they saw him on the scales. Ahead of his bout with Paulie Malignaggi, Hatton ringwalked in a fat suit. His trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr told the press, “Alcohol and eating bad, he’s got to leave that stuff alone.” But Hatton shrugged it off, saying, “I am what I am. I’m a jack-the-lad. I like a drink. Floyd wants me to stop drinking completely but I don’t think I need to go that strenuous.”

Beloved by the British public, Ricky Hatton was awarded the MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 and has set up a promotions and training company. His son Campbell Hatton is now fighting in the Matchroom stable.