To steal referee Joe Cortez’s introductory line, I believe the British Boxing Board of Control was “fair but firm” in dealing with cocaine addled Ricky Hatton.
The BBBofC flattened Hatton with a revocation of his boxing license Thursday because of the newspaper sting operation video which showed the nationally popular Mancunian snorting the illegal white powder like a human vaccum cleaner.
Hatton was also slapped with a $31,000 fine which just goes to show you how costly Bolivian Marching Powder can really be.
OK, you ask me, that’s the firm part but how was the governing body in any way fair to the battered performer whose personal life went into a negative spin after Manny Pacquiao destroyed him in less than six minutes?
Well, I say they were fair in that they left his promoter’s license alone.
Here’s the AP report:
“The board found Ricky Hatton guilty of misconduct in that his actions and behavior were detrimental to the interests of boxing and to the public interest and that he had brought the sport into disrepute.
“Ricky Hatton is not an active boxer and his current physical condition is such that the board decided to withdraw his boxer’s license.”
“The board is especially concerned to keep the sport of boxing free from drugs, whether taken for recreational or performance-enhancing reasons, and to be vigilant in identifying and dealing with cases of alcohol abuse,” the statement added.
Hatton, 31, doesn’t have much of a promotional concern although he is affiliated with American based Golden Boy.
Hatton Promotions may soon disappear as the short-lived Joe and Enzo Calzaghe promotional effort did.
I stick to my view that Hatton will never fight again but, more importantly, is how he fares in his new drug rehab experience. On his way into rehab, Hatton public downplayed his problems with booze and dope, referring to the coke spree as a sort of one off.
Not to be critical on that, it’s just the typical denial of someone coming into drug rehab.
In the ring, Hatton was never a quitter.
Let’s hope drug rehab turns him into one outside the ring.
