Kell Brook has been away from the professional boxing ring for three years but recently announced his return.
Brook was a world-level welterweight who secured a title on away soil when he put on a superb performance to beat Shawn Porter out in the States back in 2014.
He also fought the likes of Terence Crawford, Gennady Golovkin and Errol Spence Jr and retired months after knocking out his arch-rival Amir Khan in February 2022.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, Brook revealed that the passing of Ricky Hatton inspired him to get back in the ring as a way of dealing with the mental health struggles retired fighters often have once they walk away from the sport.
“That’s why I am here today. [What happened to Ricky] resonates 100%. For mental health and addiction, I’ve been through it. I know how Ricky Hatton will have been feeling in those dark times. Us fighters, it’s hard to reach out cause we’re warriors but there comes a stage, this is what I want people to know, that it’s ok to reach out if you’re in a dark place.
“People would look at me and the money and the fame, I’ve got everything, but I felt empty inside until I discovered I had to reach out and capture what needed to be done. When you’re retired, no one teaches you how to live a normal life.”
