Former multi-division world champion Ricky “Hitman” Hatton will return to professional boxing after a 13-year hiatus, agreeing to face the United Arab Emirates’ first professional boxer, Eisa Al Dah, in a middleweight contest scheduled for 2 December in Dubai. Both fighters will be 46 at the time of the bout, with Hatton turning 47 less than two months earlier. Hatton has not boxed professionally since November 2012, when he was stopped in the ninth round by Vyacheslav Senchenko. The Manchester native amassed 45 wins from 48 fights and captured world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight during a career that included high-profile meetings with Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Al Dah, who owns an 8-3 professional record, last fought in 2021 and made his debut in 2007, becoming the UAE’s first licensed professional boxer. He promoted Sunday’s announcement in Dubai, while Hatton appeared by video link after sustaining a minor eye injury that temporarily prevented him from travelling. Hatton’s comeback continues a recent wave of veteran returns—Pacquiao is due to fight Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title later this month—highlighting enduring interest in legacy names on the global boxing circuit.