Ricky Hatton's return to the ring has ended with a cruel knockout defeat at the hands of Vyacheslav Senchenko.
The 'Hitman' looked capable of rolling back the years in the opening rounds, wading forward with trademark aggression and forcing his Ukrainian foe to defend on the ropes.
Senchenko gradually established his credentials behind an effective jab, forcing Hatton to lunge from distance with wild shots.
Hatton tired considerably in the closing stages and was made to pay a heavy price for continuing his forward charge in the ninth round.
Senchenko forced his foe to take a knee with a perfectly-timed body shot. Hatton tried to return to his feet but failed to beat the count, forcing the referee to end the contest.
A crushing defeat raises huge doubts over Hatton's future in the sport and puts paid to a potential world-title tilt against Paulie Malignaggi in 2012.
