Hi °C | Lo °C BOXING: Ricky Hatton admits girlfriend Jennifer Dooley took a lot of convincing his return to the boxing ring was a good idea.
The 34-year-old former two-weight world champion will contest his first fight in three-and-a-half years at Manchester Arena tomorrow night when he takes on Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko in a sell-out welterweight bout.
Hatton's personal troubles since his brutal 2009 defeat by Manny Pacquiao have been well documented as battles with spiralling weight, drink, drugs and depression left him suicidal.
He began to turn things around six months ago before contemplating a return to the ring, something Dooley worried would put his recovery at risk.
But Hatton said: "I've got to do this for the sake of my life, not for my career, for my life. I know there's going to be a few critics out there."
Senchenko decided not to show up for yesterday's head-to-head press conference.
Panesar double take rocks India
cricket: Monty Panesar claimed two prize wickets on his England return in India's shaky 87-3 on the first morning of the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium.
Panesar, back for his first Test since Galle in March after a clamour for his inclusion following England's nine-wicket defeat in Ahmedabad, made short work of both Virender Sehwag and then Sachin Tendulkar.
Sehwag could mark his 100th Test with only 30 runs, and the great Tendulkar -- perhaps playing on his home ground at the highest level for the last time -- mustered only eight.
Olympian Andy warms up Ward
Boxing: Former Irish Olympian Andy Lee has been putting his fellow southpaw Joe Ward through his paces ahead of Ward's World Series of Boxing (WSB) debut for the British Lionhearts in Wales tonight.
Ward is up against Imre Szello at light-heavyweight (85kg), and Nevin, who has moved up from bantamweight (56kg) to lightweight (61kg) for the WSB, meets Branimir Stankovic.
Tonight will mark the first time that Ward fights over five rounds.
NFL: Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score as the New England Patriots thoroughly embarrassed the New York Jets with a 35-point second quarter in a 49-19 victory last night.
