Ricky Hatton has spoken of how he considered suicide following the end of his boxing career.
Although the popular Mancunian only confirmed his retirement in July, he now admits the writing was on the wall following his pummelling by Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas in May 2009.
Hatton, with just one defeat to his name at that point, was ruthlessly stopped in the second round, and after that gradually slipped into depression and a battle with drink and drugs that came to a head when he was the victim of a Sunday newspaper sting.
But having since officially ended his career and found success with his promoting business, Hatton now concedes that his state of mind was so bad that he considered suicide.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, the 32-year-old said: ‘I was going deeper and deeper into depression.
‘I was getting depressed, I was going out, having a few drinks and the worst thing you can do with depression is add alcohol to it.
