Ricky Hatton shows off sensational body transformation as former world champion looks years younger in new image ahead of Marco Antonio Barrera exhibition fight

Ricky Hatton has shed a lot of weight and pulled off an impressive body transformation ahead of his return to boxing next month.

The British fighting legend is set to step back between the ropes again for an exhibition bout with Marco Antonio Barrera on November 12 in Manchester.

During his career, the “Hitman” was famous for gaining weight between fights.

Since retiring, of course, he no longer needed to gain weight at all and therefore enjoyed life with a heavier physique.

As a result, many wondered if he would now be able to shed the pounds again after a decade of not having to.

Former world champion Hatton has already proven those doubters wrong.

In his latest image posted to social media over the weekend, the 44-year-old looks younger in a slimmed down frame.

Hatton will return to his beloved Manchester Arena to face Barrera ten years after retiring for good following his loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012.

He enjoyed unprecedented fan support in the UK, and particularly at home in Manchester, at the height of his career.

The two-weight world champion unified the titles at welterweight (140 pounds) and also won a belt at welterweight (147 pounds).

However, he failed in his fights with the great generations Floyd Mayweather, in 2007, and Manny Pacquiao, in 2009.

Hatton initially left the sport after the loss to Pacquiao, only to announce a shock comeback three years later which resulted in his loss to Senchenko.

It will be almost ten years since that night the ‘Hitman’ returned to Manchester Arena on November 12 to box Barrera in their exhibition.