Ricky Hatton goes all the way in an eight-lap exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera

Ricky Hatton rolled back the years as he went all out in an eight-round exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night.

The 44-year-old fighter returned to the ring for the first time in a decade after losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 at the same venue.

Hatton and Barrera, who had a combined 121 victories in professional boxing, struggled for eight two-minute rounds until they each heard the final bell.

With an unforgettable entrance, the Stockport-born fighter graced the arena to the tune of the Manchester City song Blue Moon and walked on with a Zimmerframe alongside two nurses.

After losing four stones leading up to the exhibition, Hatton looked sharper than his opponent at the opening bell, before Barrera hit back in the second round.

Encouraged by home support, Hatton took advantage of Barrera’s move to left-handed in the third round and continued to pack a punch.

Notably, the fighter hit the Mexican with a solid right hook to the chin in the fourth round and pinned Barrera on the ropes in the fifth, looking to dominate the 48-year-old.

But Barrera bounced back with a hefty right hook of his own to set up a compelling final two laps.

As the two boxing legends continued to pack punches through the closing stages of the exhibition, Hatton Barrera caught Barrera with a strong right hand in the final two minutes, before the two boxing legends hugged at the final bell.