- Mar 21, 2004
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On 24 Nov , in Manchester
BBC
BBC
Former world champion Ricky Hatton says he will fight again, more than three years since his last bout.
"It's more than a comeback," said the Manchester-based boxer at a news conference on Friday.
The 33-year-old retired last year with a record of 45 wins and two defeats.
But Hatton, who held the WBA and IBF light-welterweight and WBA welterweight titles, has decided to return, with a fight scheduled to take place against an unnamed opponent on 24 November.
Hatton, nicknamed "The Hitman", has not fought since suffering a second-round knockout by Manny Pacquiao in May 2009.
Hatton was stripped of his licence to box in 2010 after admitting using cocaine.
But he appeared before the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) in Cardiff on Wednesday to ask for it back.
BBBoC general secretary Robert Smith said Hatton looked "very well" and seems to have "sorted himself out".
"From what he was saying, he seems very settled with his family," Smith added. "He has already had some of the medicals and we are making sure he's on track."
Hatton dominated the light-welterweight division, his most notable win coming against IBF champion Kostya Tszyu in 2005.
The following year, the Briton defeated Puerto Rican Luis Collazo to take the WBA world welterweight title and followed that victory by beating Juan Urango to reclaim his IBF light-welterweight title.
He lost to American five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007 and suffered a comprehensive beating by Pacquiao in his final fight three years ago.