Ricky Hatton will remember the date December 8, 2007, for the rest of his life.

Sadly, however, it will only bring back painful memories for 'The Hitman' as today has marked the ten-year anniversary of his first professional defeat.

Like 47 other men, the then 29-year-old fancied his chances at becoming the first person to beat Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas.

But following a controversial and heated build-up, Hatton suffered a heartbreaking tenth round knockout and never looked the same fighter again.

Now a trainer and promoter, Hatton has openly spoken the mental health issues he underwent after losing his unbeaten record. Many of the scars and bruises suffered from that fight were actually underneath the skin.

The nature of the fierce rivalry with Mayweather still sticks in the mind. Two men from very different backgrounds, with very different personalities and styles, were always unlikely to get on.

And even a decade on from their fight, the pair have never been able to truly settle their differences.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Hatton revealed he has only spoken to the American once since going toe-to-toe in the ring and it left the Manchester-man with a sour taste.

"I spoke to Floyd briefly when he boxed Shane Mosley, but he wasn't very courteous towards me at the weigh-in," Hatton said.

"He shouted: 'This fella is gonna get what you got!'

"I thought: 'You p****'.

"That was right before the weigh-in so I'll let him off because it is a heated, nervous moment before you jump on the scales. I don't know Floyd personally, only through the stick he gave me."

That was seven years ago but Hatton still remembers it as if it were yesterday.

After losing to Mayweather, the Hitman was also defeated by Manny Pacquiao and Vyacheslav Senchenko before reluctantly hanging up his gloves in 2012.

He added: "Deep down, when I see some of his performances against Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, Miguel Cotto and other great fighters, I pushed him the most. [US commentator] Manny Steward had it level after five rounds - and that's even with the referee breaking me! I moved up a weight and I was one of his toughest fights.

"That's good enough for me, these days."