Ricky Hatton, 46, confirms boxing comeback against Eisa Al Dah

Ricky Hatton, the former world champion at welterweight and light-welterweight, has confirmed he will return to the ring later this year at the age of 46.

The Manchester-born boxer, who will turn 47 in October, is scheduled to fight Eisa Al Dah of the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on December 2, as reported by BBC sport.

The contest, set at middleweight, was unveiled during a promotional event staged by Al Dah in the city on Sunday, with Hatton announcing his involvement via livestream.

Though the organisers have labelled the event a professional bout, questions remain over the format.

It is not yet clear whether the fight will be fully sanctioned or whether it will carry the same kind of modified rules seen in previous high-profile exhibitions, such as the 2024 clash between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, which featured shorter and fewer rounds.

Hatton’s last official professional bout took place in 2012, when he suffered a stoppage loss to Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Senchenko. More recently, he faced Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera in a 2022 exhibition in Manchester.

Speaking during the livestream, Hatton expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming fight, while explaining why he was not able to attend the announcement in person.

"I wish I was there," he said. "But I had a minor injury to my eye — a freak accident with my sunglasses. Thankfully it’s not serious. It’s just a surface scrape and shouldn’t affect anything going forward. I’m really looking forward to the fight."

Hatton retired with a professional record of 45 wins from 48 fights across a 15-year career. He rose to global prominence with a career-defining victory over Kostya Tszyu in 2005 and later added a win over Jose Luis Castillo.

However, defeats to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, two of the sport’s all-time greats, followed in high-profile title clashes.

Hatton’s return mirrors that of his former opponent Pacquiao, who at 46 is also stepping back into the ring. The Filipino is set to challenge WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on 19 July.

Eisa Al Dah, Hatton’s opponent in December, has a record of eight wins from 11 fights. He last competed in 2021, when he was defeated by Mexico’s Pedro Alejandro Delgado.

The event adds to a growing trend of veteran fighters returning for high-profile contests.

Whether Hatton’s bout in Dubai will mark a single appearance or the start of a longer campaign remains to be seen.