Ricky Hatton: 'My girlfriend had to stop me from taking own life'

British boxer Ricky Hatton has revealed that his girlfriend had to stop him numerous times from committing suicide.

The 34-year-old has been open about his alcohol addiction following his retirement from boxing in 2009 after losing to Manny Pacquiao.

"I was near to a nervous breakdown, depression, suicidal," said Hatton. "Most mornings my girlfriend would have to come downstairs and take a knife out of my hand.

"I had a knife at my wrists, I was in a really bad way, just hysterically crying for no reason. I've always liked a little bit of a drink, but my drinking had gone way off the Richter scale, I was having blackouts."

Hatton will return to the ring for a comeback fight in Manchester later this month.