I always laugh at people who strive to be famous because all you do is get mithered to death by everyone.

Muhammad Ali was the one who started it, winding up his opponents, but he always did it with a twinkle in his eye and a bit of class about him. Mayweather is just insulting from start to finish.

Winning the world title was my goal as a kid, but being the pound-for-pound champion would be the ultimate.

Right from the beginning I wanted to test myself against the best, against real champions.

My second pro fight was at Madison Square Garden, on the undercard of Naseem Hamed's fight against Kevin Kelley.

It's unusual for me to be in front of an audience without somebody trying to knock my teeth out.

I don't want to go on forever and leaving the sport is the hardest decision.

Because of my style, I always make hard work of my contests.

I want to be recognised as a great fighter; and not just in England.

There's no better feeling in the world than when I walk in a pub, or a nightclub or a bar or a supermarket, anywhere, and you see people out the corner of your eye and they're going, 'Hey, there's Ricky Hatton. Isn't he a good lad, coming for a pint with us in here?' It makes you feel proud.

Ultimately when I fell out with my parents, I hit rock bottom. I didn't care whether I lived or died to be honest with you.

I was getting depressed, I was going out, having a few drinks and the worst thing you can do with depression is add alcohol to it.

I've fought at such a high level I couldn't have people look at me and say, 'well, he's just fought someone to knock them over.'

Depression is a serious thing and, after my defeat to Pacquiao, I was facing retirement and didn't cope with it very well.

I don't mind getting beaten by Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr and people like that, but I'd hate to go into a training camp with my heart not fully in it and risk getting beaten by somebody who shouldn't be beating me.

I've always been the local lad, boy done well, kid next door.

I was fortunate enough to fight at Madison Square Garden, Vegas and the City of Manchester Stadium.

I was always very depressed, even when I was a youngster.

The manner of my defeat against Mayweather and certainly Manny Pacquiao was a bitter pill to swallow.

It makes me very, very happy to get someone a world title shot, which I've done with a few fighters, or a European title shot or a British title, and I see them lift that belt above their waist and they come to me and say 'Thanks Ricky. I've just paid my mortgage off with that.' That's what its all about.

My mum and dad had four pubs when we were growing up, but the main one was the New Inn in Hattersley, on the estate. It was a very good pub.

I always loved training to get fit, make all those sacrifices that you do, but it just wasn't there after Pacquiao.

It doesn't matter how many people say 'don't be hard on yourself,' I feel like I have to redeem myself to my fans, my family and the whole of British sport.

I never manufactured my persona.

They say 'you've over trained, you've left it in the gym' is the most common phrase used in boxing but my god it is the truest.

If, and when, I do eventually decide to retire, the announcement will be made by myself. I feel that I have earned the right to do it myself.

I wouldn't say Floyd Mayweather Jr is running scared of Amir Khan. Floyd doesn't need to run from anybody. Look at the names he has beaten during his career and it is an impressive list.

Sir Alex Ferguson sent me a letter wishing me good luck before my fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. He also sent me a United shirt, signed by all of the players. It was a really nice touch and typical of the man who has always made himself available to managers in this country whenever they've needed advice.

He's a very, very clever fighter, Manny, but you'd have to say the cleverest fighter in boxing is Mayweather. He adapts his style against whatever opponent he faces.

I want to go down as a champion who redeemed himself, made up for letting everyone down and regained his self-respect.

Would I change anything? I don't know, that's a double edge sword for me.

I will always wonder what might have been if I had faced Manny Pacquiao at my best. But there is no doubt in my mind that the Pacman will still go down as one of boxing's all-time greats.

Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to think: 'Blimey, Ricky, get a grip.'

Pacquiao has been stopped a 'couple of times by body shots and has been knocked out and I don't think there's anything you can do to improve your ribs or chin.

People with success are less able to cope because you're used to being on Mount Everest and when it's gone, what do you do?

People say nice things about me but they don't know what's been going on between my ears.

It's a hard game, boxing. You're up every morning running every day, you train in the afternoon, you're dieting, you're up and down in weight and it can wear you down.

I feel I let everyone British sport, British boxing, my community, my home town of Manchester, my family my kids, I feel I've let everyone down with the troubles I've been in.

People say maybe I could have got better performances out of myself or I could have a got few more fights out of myself if I looked after my body a little bit more but at the end of the day it was because I was jack the lad.

I went to the darts, went to the football, had a little pint, no airs and graces. I think that's why I had the fan base I had.

People say, 'We remember the good times.' Well I remember the bad times.

Once I got beat by Mayweather I felt so ashamed. I cancelled all my functions, all my appearances, I didn't want to walk down the street. I was too embarrassed to even go and have a pint with my mates.

I can remember how I felt the first time I was knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr. My first fight afterwards was against Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium. Every time I got punched I felt like I would wobble.

I feel happier about things, I don't blame myself over the losses.

I'm known for my strength and it helped that from a young age I was carrying around crates of beer or carpets and heavy rolls of underlay.

You can't kid the public. When they see me they see I'm just a kid off a council estate - no more, no less.

The thing is with boxers we don't come from Cambridge and places like that, we come from council estates. So in boxing it's very, very hard.

I'd go into the pub and start crying even before I'd had my first drink.

First time I had my defeat, it was very hard to come to terms with.

If I'm going to end my career, I want to end my career at the top.