Surprise visit to Ricky Hatton's gym
Academy Manager Tony Philliskirk and his staff had a special surprise for Latics’ youth-team players with a visit to Hatton Heath and Fitness, Hyde, where former world champion Ricky Hatton trains the next generation of boxing stars.
The players were put through their paces by Mike Jackson who is trainer for his stable of boxers like Ryan Burnett and Adam Little who were also present at the session.
The youth team players did an exhausting 40-minute circuit, after which Mike and Adam explained to the lads in a 20-minute Q&A how much dedication and sacrifice is required to be the best of the best and how important it is to the live the correct life.
Adam is currently coming back from a serious hand injury but you would not thought it with the speed of his training session and Latics’ lads were also blown away by the speed of Ryan’s skipping.
“That includes watching everything they eat every hour of the day. The training was difficult but enjoyable and all the lads want to come back again".
Youth-team player Jack Truelove said: "It was really inspirational hearing what Ryan and Adam are doing to be the best they can be and to become world champions.
Youth-team coach Simon Cooper contacted Ricky Hatton at short notice after another gym had been double booked.
“We plan to meet Ricky and his team in the future to discuss working with his trainers again. I really believe in this sort of training for young boys as it can gives them a fantastic foundation of physical strength but most importantly psychological strength and self discipline.
Cooper said: "Ricky Hatton and my friend local boxer Craig Watson were instrumental in getting this on at the last minute.
“The biggest battle these young lads will have in their lives will be mastering themselves in body, mind and spirit and learning about the importance of sacrifice and how to deal with pain and convert it to create power...boxing does this in every form."
Philliskirk and Latics’ staff left a personalised Latics’ shirt for Hatton’s young son Campbell who is looking forward to his first amateur fight later this year.