- Hatton’s last professional fight was in a 2012 defeat by Vyacheslav Senchenko
- The 46-year-old veteran picked up an injury during Oasis’ return to the stage
Ricky Hatton is set for a sensational return to professional boxing more than a decade after his last official fight.
The former world champion, 46, will face fellow veteran Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight contest on December 2 in Dubai.
It marks Hatton’s first professional bout since 2012, when he was stopped by Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester.
Hatton did return to the ring for an exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, but this upcoming clash will be fully sanctioned.
Al Dah, also 46, is the United Arab Emirates’ first professional boxer, having made his debut in 2007.
Hatton was set to fly to Dubai this week for Sunday night’s launch press conference but was forced to stay home after suffering an eye injury from his sunglasses at the Oasis reunion gig, leaving him unable to travel until it heals.
The Gallagher brothers made their long-awaited reunion this weekend after 16 years apart.
Hatton was famously escorted to the ring by Noel and Liam Gallagher for his 2008 victory over Paulie Malignaggi.
Unable to attend the announcement of the fight in person, Hatton joined the press conference via video call to promote the fight.
He said ‘I’m very much looking forward to it myself, to be honest with you.
‘What you’re trying to do there for boxing in Dubai is fantastic.’
An enthusiastic Al Dah added: ‘Trust me, this fight will not be like the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight.
‘It will be a true fight, true action. And I will do my best, because everybody in the UAE and the Gulf, they will watch this fight. The place will be sold out and it will be watched around the world.’
Hatton is still regarded as one of Britain’s greatest and most beloved boxers, having racked up an incredible 43 straight wins before suffering his first defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr in their 2007 clash for the WBC and The Ring welterweight titles.
During that unbeaten run, Hatton became a multiple-time world champion at super lightweight and also captured a welterweight belt.
His defining night came in June 2005, when he toppled Australia’s Kostya Tszyu to claim the IBF and The Ring super lightweight titles in a career-best performance.
After his loss to Mayweather, Hatton bounced back with impressive victories over Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi, successfully defending his IBO and The Ring super lightweight belts.
However, his reign came to an end in brutal fashion when he was knocked out by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009.
That defeat led to a two-and-a-half-year hiatus from the sport, before Hatton made a comeback in November 2012 against Vyacheslav Senchenko — a return that ended in disappointment as he was stopped in the ninth round.
