Hatton’s Pressure Of Being A National Hero

By Scoop Malinowski

Ricky Hatton once said the most devastating loss of all was when he was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in the second round in Las Vegas. He said it with a pain and conviction that showed the hurt over a decade later.

For ring observers, it’s almost a forgotten footnote in boxing history as the conqueror earned the roars of the crowd and the conquered went out on his shield. Hatton’s fans stayed loyal and true through the years but how could Ricky ever forget losing those fights, which is painful enough personally for his own competitive fighting spirit, but then losing those fights for millions of people has to be some kind of agony only these mighty champions can comprehend.

Andrew Golota inspired a similar heroic status in Poland and marched his way to the top creating a near hysteria amongst Polish boxing fans in Poland and the United States. Golota won some sensational big fights and earned four world title shots, however he lost two of them in the first round to Lennox Lewis and Lamon Brewster, disappointing not only the thousands who bought tickets for the fights in Atlantic City and Chicago, respectively, but the millions back home.

Losing by early KO is devastating enough but with so many supporters adding additional pressure, it’s impossible to measure and understand the emotional duress these boxing champions suffer.

I can’t recall every hearing a great champion discussing the long term trauma and heartbreak he experiences from losing a major fight. He has to keep it all inside and deal with it himself.

Everybody loves a winner but in some ways the loser is actually more heroic and more admirable.

We will never know how Ricky Hatton’s heartbreaking losses to Mayweather and Pacquaio changed his life, his character and self image.

They say a coward dies a million deaths. But they never say what the price the knocked out boxing champion hero has to pay…

Ricky Hatton artwork by Richard T. Slone

Note: Andrew Golota is in great health and lives a comfortable life with his wife and two kids in a ritzy Chicago suburb. He is an avid skier and tennis fan.