Boxers are like baseball closers, you got to have a short memory otherwise a beating can put your career down for the count. Ricky Hatton recovered once from a whipping at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr. and now it sounds like he’s regaining his confidence after the Manny Pacquiao disaster. His father Ray says Ricky wants to make sure the decision to retire will come at the right time:

"He’s taking his time. He is single minded, stubborn if you like, and once he makes up his mind that will be it. We will respect that decision and knowing him it will be final and certainly he won’t be a Frank Sinatra, forever making comebacks."

The older Hatton says there’s no need rush into the second phase of life at such a young age:

"This is one big decision for a 30-year-old. It’s not like old Father Time is catching up on him. It’s the biggest decision of his career, even of his life, and he’s got to get it right."

Hatton’s legacy is at stake if he walks away off a defeat where he was last seen laid out:

"The defeat is still very painful for him even now. He knows he was reckless and his game plan went out of the window. A lot of people who know him well are thinking they can’t see him going out and ending his career on the back of that sort of defeat. Some genuine experts and people who know him best reckon he won’t want to be remembered flat on his back."

The Manchester Evening News also confirms a story first reported by the Yahoo! Boxing Blog, that Hatton’s co-trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. showed up late on fight night.  Mayweather blames the loss on Hatton listening to others and not him exclusively during training.

Michael Katsidis has been mentioned as an opponent for what could be a farewell fight later this year. The Hattons are busy this evening opening a huge fitness center in Manchester.