RICKY HATTON has promised to put on a show when he returns to the ring on Saturday night.
The 44-year-old will will fight Marco Antonio Barrera in an exhibition at the Manchester Arena.
The bout was meant to take place in July, but was postponed because Hughie Fury – who was headlining on the same night – pulled out through illness.
It’ll be the first time Hatton has fought since losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko in his last professional fight 10 years ago.
Hatton has lost four stone and despite more than a decade away from the sport, has promised to entertain the crowd in his hometown.
He said: “The build-up couldn’t feel any better, I couldn’t feel any sharper than I feel there now, nice and sharp and explosive.
“Now we’re a couple of days away it’s about putting the finishing touches to it.
“All that matters is the performance and the show for the fans, which has always been mine and Marco’s priority. It will be exciting.
“We’ve had so many good times through our fighting careers and me going to cheer Marco on, him coming to cheer me on, me walking him to the ring, him walking me to the ring.
“I never thought this would be possible because he is a genuine, genuine hero of mine.
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“If you’re a boxing fan and he’s not a hero of yours then you are not a boxing fan.
“Me and Marco said ‘not one person walks away Saturday yawning, no chance’, I said I’d rather not do it. He said ‘I know exactly what you mean Ricky’ and that’s the beauty of it.
“It will be exciting, but there’s a bit of professional pride because we’re both former champions, I’m not having him come and outbox me, I’ve no doubt he’ll be saying the same so it’s going to be good.”
