Eisa Al Dah said "my heart is broken" after learning of the tragic passing of British boxer Ricky Hatton, who the Emirati was set to face in the ring in Dubai on December 2.
Hatton was found dead at his home on Sunday. Police in Greater Manchester, where Hatton lived, said they are not treating his death as suspicious. He was 46 years old.
News of Hatton's passing comes just months after the British boxer, a two-weight world champion during an action-packed 15-year professional career, announced his return to the ring, set to take on Al Dah in Dubai on UAE National Day in a bout dubbed "Destiny in the Desert 2".
In an at times emotional interview with The National, Al Dah said he first learned the news when a representative of Hatton's management team contacted him in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Emirati said Hatton was due to fly to Dubai on Sunday ahead of planned media events to promote their upcoming bout.
"In just a couple of hours, I was [going to see] him here in Dubai. We booked the hotel. We booked the [plane] ticket. Everything had been arranged," Al Dah said.
"From my side, I was checking everything, and I was so excited to see him over here and visit us here in Dubai. And he was also excited. But suddenly, I get this news from his managers. My heart is broken.
"Since knowing I will fight him, I became very close to him, seeing his news, following him on Instagram. I follow his life, how he trained, everything. I cannot believe it. I wish somebody told me this is wrong.
"I've been through many things in my life in boxing or business, but this is something that I cannot believe."
Hatton won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight during his career. His go-forward, swing-for-the-fences style made him one of the most popular fighters of his generation.
His willingness to stand and trade with the best brought incredible highs and devastating lows. There was the bruising encounter with Kostya Tszyu at the MEN Arena in Manchester in 2005 that signalled "The Hitman's" arrival on the world stage and his ferocious punching power.
There were losses, too. Floyd Mayweather Jr sent him crashing into the turnbuckle after Hatton chased the sport's best counterpuncher after being deducted a point in a fight he was arguably winning. Manny Pacquiao sent him into the shadow realm with one of the most brutal knockouts you will see.
No matter where he fought, though, whether in Mayweather's backyard in Vegas or his hometown of Manchester, Hatton was always the most popular man in town by a distance.
This reporter travelled to Las Vegas in November 2008 to watch the Briton systematically dismantle Paulie Malignaggi over 11 rounds before the American's corner saved him from any more unnecessary punishment. Chants of "There's only one Ricky Hatton" enchanted every arena, and usually lasted well into the next day.
Success in the ring was tempered by mental health challenges outside of it. Hatton was open about his battles with addiction, thoughts of suicide and the toll it had taken on his relationships with friends and family members.
His comeback against Al Dah was announced in July. It followed a growing trend of ex-boxers returning to the ring years after their retirements. Al Dah was honest that Hatton was being paid a handsome sum for the bout, an eight-round exhibition at middleweight.
He was honest about the gulf in class as well. Hatton won 45 of his 48 professional bouts before hanging up his gloves in 2012. Al Dah has a pro record of eight wins and three defeats, according to boxrec.com, the last of which came against the Mexican Pedro Alejandro Delgado in Mexico City in July 2021.
For most of his career, Al Dah was not just the face of UAE boxing; he was the only face. The Emirati has done more than anyone in the UAE to put boxing on the map at grassroots level. Following the announcement in July, Al Dah told The National his plan was “to make boxing so big over here. I want to make Dubai Las Vegas.”
When asked about his thoughts on Hatton the man, Al Dah was effusive in his praise.
"You know this guy, he put me on the map of boxing," Al Dah said. "Since I put my name with his name, he made me like a super hero, and everybody knows my name now.
"He's a very humble person. He tried to help people. He has the same situation as me, he has his gym, he tried to inspire the kids. He tried to do something for boxing. And he was trying. I know he's been suffering, but he helped a lot ... He's one of the legends.
"Sometimes in sport, you find the people hate you. Some people love you, yes. But to be honest, more than 95 per cent of the people I see in the UK, they love Ricky Hatton."
Many questioned the legitimacy of a fighter who has not fought in 13 years, one who would have turned 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.
Al Dah said the Hatton fight was about delivering a big name to boxing-starved fans in Dubai, opening the door for more potential big names to choose the emirate as a legitimate fight destination.
"Everybody [in Dubai] was supporting us, everybody. Whenever he came to visit, he said lots of nice things about me, he said lots of good things about what I do here [for boxing] in Dubai.
"People were so happy when they see he is coming back to fight. He has fought every big name. People don't understand that this fight will be something big, because it will be [promoted] all over the UAE. Our pictures were on billboards. When I walk around, I say, 'Oh my god!' I would see my pictures everywhere now, with the big name of Ricky Hatton."
Al Dah said it was "too early to say" if the December 2 event will go ahead against a different opponent. What is clear in his voice is that he has been deeply affected by the news of Hatton's death. The Emirati's respect for Hatton is apparent in the reverence he holds him in when we speak about Hatton's previous fights, his triumphs, his tribulations, the obstacles he had to overcome.
Hatton was taking the bout seriously, posting videos on social media running on a treadmill, pounding the heavy bag with trademark body shots, working the mitts for nephew Jack, himself an aspiring boxer.
Al Dah said he had got to know Hatton well during their negotiations. He found him "funny, caring and totally in love with boxing". He says he wants to do something for the family to honour him.
"I'm super sad. I'm not talking about the fight, I'm sad for the person [Hatton]. Every time I was watching him, he touched my heart. If I do something about the boxing show, I want to just do it for him," Al Dah said.
"I'm very sorry for the people who love Ricky, his family, his kids, the fighter. I'm very sad like them. And anything I can do for him, I will definitely do it from my heart, anything."
