In a sport where unexpected comebacks are now so commonplace they barely register, Monday's announcement that Ricky Hatton will make his boxing return in Dubai later this year left us winded as if hit by a trademark "Hitman" body shot.
Hatton, widely regarded as one of the most devastating punchers of his era, will take on Emirati Eisa Al Dah in Dubai on December 2 – UAE National Day – in a bout dubbed "Destiny in the Desert 2".
Much is known about Hatton, a former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion who has shared a ring with some of the all-time greats, including Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao.
Much less is known about his opponent, though.
Who is Eisa Al Dah?
While Hatton is a household name, few will have heard of Al Dah.
For most of his career, Al Dah was not just the face of UAE boxing; he was the only face. He was the nation's first professional boxer, and much was done to build up his career, with financial backing from the Dubai Sports Council.
The Emirati, 46, has not fought since losing to Mexico's Pedro Alejandro Delgado by first-round TKO in Mexico City in 2021. His record stands at eight wins against three losses, according to boxrec.com.
Al Dah made his pro debut in his home city of Dubai in 2007. That scarcely attended bout, dubbed "Destiny in the Desert," at Sheikh Rashid Hall was the first of three successive wins for Al Dah before his first defeat to Alfredo Valdes in 2009.
Today, it's hard to move in Dubai without spotting famous sports stars. Elite gyms, coaches and nutritionists are a Google search away. But back then, it was much harder for an aspiring boxer, one who grew up in a country where there was little to no culture of boxing, to find the help he needed to take his talent up to the next level.
Limited by the number of sparring and training partners he could call on or the expertise he could tap into, Al Dah knew he would have to travel overseas.
"I must improve as a boxer. I can only achieve so much here [in Dubai], this is why I must go to places like the UK to train in the best gyms and spar with the best boxers that I can," Al Dah told The National in 2011.
Al Dah travelled to England, where he sparred with Amir Khan, the former world light-welterweight champion, an invaluable experience.
"Amir is a great champion and a true warrior," Al Dah said. "Just watching him, the little things; his movement, the angles he throws punches from. Working with someone like that can only be a huge benefit to me."
Al Dah would string together three wins fighting on undercards in the UK before a second loss of his career to Anthony Woods in Hollywood.
A return to home turf in 2011 saw him claim the UAE World Championship belt, a title created specifically for Al Dah, with a third-round KO of Ignasi Caballero, at the World Trade Centre in Dubai. The following year, he won a points decision over Miguel Angel Munguia, also in Dubai.
Nine years later, he would lose to Delgado. That looked to be it for the "Arabian Warrior" until Monday's shock announcement.
Why is he doing it?
Many will question the legitimacy of a fighter who has not fought in 13 years, one who will be 47 in October, taking on a 46-year-old boxer who has fought only 11 times in his entire career, and against no one even remotely close to Hatton's calibre.
Hatton, has shared a ring with some of the most fabled names in boxing. His win over Kostya Tszyu in front of a delirious home crowd at Manchester's MEN Arena in 2005 still conjures memories of a fighter at the peak of his powers: brute strength, raw aggression, and an unbending will to win.
But that was 20 years ago. Ironically, the "Hitman" has suffered the same number of defeats – three – as has Al Dah, but Mayweather, Pacquiao and Vyacheslav Senchenko are a different kettle of croissant to Valdes, Woods and Delgado.
Al Dah told reporters at Monday's press conference that his fight with Hatton will not be like Jake Paul's fight earlier this year against Mike Tyson, where the pair seemed to have worked out a pre-fight non-aggression pact.
"It's not about the money, it's just about the history, where one guy from the UAE is taking on a boxing legend," Al Dah told The National on Tuesday.
"I want to inspire people. I did it at my age, 46. This is my main goal; it's not the money. It is just for the UAE. This is what makes me want to get back into the ring."
Al Dah has skin in the ring and outside. A promoter and gym owner who hosts regular fight nights through his EMD Fight Night promotion, and will likely stream the Hatton fight on his platform.
He admits Hatton is being paid a substantial sum to take the fight, but Al Dah hopes the punt will pay off with more high-profile events taking place in Dubai.
