Ricky Hatton’s former trainer has been charged with sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16. Bob Shannon, 59, helped prepare Hatton for his comeback fight against Vyacheslav Senchenko in November 2012, which the former two-weight world champion lost and promptly retired. The Manchester-based trainer’s stable includes Hatton’s brother, Matthew, the European welterweight champion, and fighters who have won British and European titles. Bob Shannon (right) with Ricky Hatton in September 2012 after the boxer confirmed his ill-fated comeback. He has been charged with a sexual assault on an underage girl after police received a complaint last year . Manchester-based Shannon trained Hatton for just one fight, against Vyacheslav Senchenko of Russia . Shannon has been charged with a sexual assault against a girl under the age of 16 . Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Shannon, from Glossop, Derbyshire, would appear before magistrates next week. Shannon landed a three-fight deal to train Hatton through his ill-fated comeback after guiding Matthew Hatton to a world title shot. But when The Hitman lost to Senchenko, Shannon lost his marquee fighter. Recently, his most high-profile boxer has been welterweight Denton Vassell, who fought and lost in a British welterweight title eliminator last September. Shannon’s charge came after a report a girl had been sexually assaulted last June. Hatton (second right) shows the pain after losing his comeback fight against Senchenko in November 2012 . Shannon has also trained Hatton's brother, Matthew (right), to a European title and world title shot . ‘Robert Shannon of Derbyshire was charged with sexual assault and due before Manchester and Salford Magistrates on 22 April 2015,’ said a police statement. Hatton became British boxing’s biggest star when he became light-welterweight world champion after an epic victory over Kostya Tszyu in 2005. The larger-than-life character went on to win the welterweight world title, under the tutelage of long-term trainer Billy Graham. Hatton’s weight fluctuations between fights eventually caught up with him and he lost super-fights against Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao two years later, before retiring for the first time. He turned to Shannon to guide his comeback in 2012 but the Senchenko defeat was their only fight together. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Boxing trainer Bob Shannon has been charged with sexual assault . Shannon is best known for training Ricky Hatton in 2012 . Hatton lost their only fight together against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 . Shannon will appear before magistrates in Manchester next week .