HATTON: I NEARLY QUIT

RICKY HATTON has revealed he almost quit boxing in the summer.

The Hitman was on the verge of retiring after struggling to outpoint Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium in May.

Hatton's laboured win against the Mexican journeyman came just five months after he was knocked out in 10 rounds by Floyd Mayweather Junior at the MGM Grand Garden.

READY TO RUMBLE - Hitman Ricky Hatton

On Saturday night Hatton will return to the scene of that brutal Las Vegas mugging when he risks his IBO and Ring Magazine light-welterweight title against Paulie Malignaggi.

The Manchester idol confessed: "Before this training camp retirement was seriously in my mind.

"I started thinking that I've had two fights on the trot where I didn't produce a vintage Ricky Hatton performance.

Explosive

"I thought: 'Have I had too many hard fights? Why have I stopped using my jab and my boxing ability?' "

Now Hatton, 30, insists he is a ticking timebomb again.

He is promising an explosive performance against the powder-puff punching New Yorker.

Hatton axed long-time trainer Billy Graham and switched to Floyd Mayweather Senior, estranged father of the only man to beat him in 45 professional fights.

Mayweather Snr has replaced Graham's body-belt methods with 12-round sparring sessions twice a week in a bid to improve the boxer.

The strict disciplinarian also gets Hatton out of bed at the crack of dawn and orders him on eight-mile runs up Mount Charleston, 8,240ft above sea level in the southern Nevada desert.

Running

Ricky, who has been holed up in Las Vegas for more than a month, added: "Instead of coming in from a club at half five in the morning, now I'm getting up at that time to go running.

"I might have thought about quitting a couple of times. But the way this training camp has gone I wouldn't like to put my finger on how many fights I will have.

"After the Mayweather loss and the performance against Lazcano I needed this camp to bring my confidence back and put my mind at rest.

"I need to perform because the daggers seem to be out for me again but I'm looking forward to shutting up the critics once more."

Hatton admitted that if he came unstuck against Malignaggi, then retirement would be staring him in the face after 11 years as a professional.

He said: "You need to be honest with yourself in this sport. If I lost to Malignaggi I would seriously have to think about it.

Tougher

"If you look at what he's got in his arsenal and what I've got in my arsenal, then I should definitely win. But he is tougher than he looks."

Former IBF champion Malignaggi's only loss in 26 fights was a narrow points defeat to brilliant Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in June 2006.

Plenty of experts reckon the 27-year-old underdog's slick style will give Hatton fits and ruin a mega-money clash against the winner of next month's fight between Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.

The former street robber's weaknesses are a lack of power and brittle hands that affected his recent performances against Herman Ngoudjo and Lovemore N'Dou.

Hatton, who expects 5,000 Britons to support him in Las Vegas said: "Malignaggi is a fantastic talent but it's not exactly the best style to look good against.

Powerhouse

"Floyd is a great defensive coach, but I've not changed my style. I've needed this camp to work on technical things and realise I'm not just a powerhouse who bulldozes opponents.

"Malignaggi is going to be expecting the obvious from me but he's not going to get it.

"Working with Floyd hasn't changed my style. He's just polished things up a bit.

"I will be my usual aggressive self - but perhaps a bit more controlled."

• Hatton v Malignaggi on Saturday, November 22 is exclusively live on Sky Box Office and in high definition on Sky Box Office HD. To order the night of live boxing call: 08442 410 888.