Ricky Hatton has called a news conference for Friday in Manchester when he is expected to announce his return to the ring.
The former WBA and IBF Light Welterweight champion and WBA Welterweight champion has not fought since his second-round defeat to Manny Pacquiao in May 2009 and he officially announced his retirement in July 2011.
The 33-year-old Mancunian has devoted himself to his burgeoning promotional work since then, but it appears that he has been tempted back into the ring himself.
Hatton has shed almost three stones in training this year, sparking rumours of an imminent comeback, which is expected to take place at the MEN Arena in Manchester on November 24. New Yorker Paulie Malignaggi has been touted as a possible future opponent. Hatton beat the American in Las Vegas in 2008.
Hatton had a 45-2 record as a professional when he hung up his gloves, his only defeats coming against boxing greats Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
If Hatton's comeback is confirmed, it is likely the undercard would feature a majority of Hatton Promotions boxers, including Martin Murray, Anthony Crolla, Rendall Munroe and Scott Quigg.
Hatton is in the process of re-applying for a boxing licence with the British Boxing Board of Control, but barring any recent medical issues it is unthinkable that the 'Hitman' would be rejected.
Malignaggi won the WBA Welterweight title with a stoppage win over Vyacheslav Senchenko in Ukraine in April.
From Hatton's point of view, Malignaggi carries the significant advantage as an opponent of being a light puncher - only seven of his 31 wins have come inside the distance.
Bearing in mind the nature of his knockout losses to Pacquiao and Mayweather, that may be a factor in Hatton's considerations.
http://www1.skysports.com/boxing/news/1 ... ing-return
I could talk all day about how great - and underrated - this man is... I f**king love the guy! But he is surely past it!
He seemed to deal with the weight fluctuations between fights. No mater how fat he got he always got his fitness to the level where he was training for 16 round fights... but a three year fatty-boom-boom Guiness and fry-up binge will surely have taken it's toll!
In my opinion he's doing this for his promotional company.
Pacquaio got robbed, Mayweather wouldn't fight him even if he did win, Cotto hasn't been the same after the Margerito fight, Mallignaggi is the f**king champ (wtf)...... there's nothing to return for. It's not like the days of Judah, Mosely, Gatti (RIP), Tszyu etc. where there were more than just more than just one or two contenders.
Nothing in it for Hatton, don't know why he's doing this.