Ricky Hatton, the former boxing world champion and one of the sport’s most beloved figures, has passed away at the age of 46 in Manchester, England.
Hatton was a prominent figure in boxing, known for his charismatic personality and skilled performances in the ring. A notable moment in his public life was his presence at Manchester City’s match against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2013.
AP Photo/Jon Super, File
Hatton was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester, Britain’s Press Association reported Sunday.
Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious.
According to a statement from Greater Manchester Police, officers responded to a call on Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45 am where they discovered the body of a 46-year-old man. Currently, there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Friends of Hatton were quick to pay tribute Sunday morning.
Amir Khan, a fellow former world champion, expressed his grief on X, saying, “Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton.”
Tyson Fury, a former heavyweight champion, shared his condolences on Instagram with photos of himself and Hatton, stating, “Rip to the legend Ricky Hatton may he rip. There will only ever be 1 Ricky Hatton. can’t believe this so young.”
Hatton’s death comes just two months after the unexpected announcement of his planned return to the boxing ring in December for a match against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai.
He hadn’t fought since losing for the third time in his career, against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012.
Hatton won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and at the height of his career shared the ring with with the best boxers of his generation including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
“He was not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life,” Pacquiao posted on X. “Ricky fought bravely, not just in the ring, but in his journey through life. He truly had a good fight, and we are all blessed to have been part of his wonderful journey.”
Hatton rose through amateur and domestic levels, building up an army of passionate fans that followed him to America for his biggest fights.
His down-to-earth charm, as well as his tendency to dramatically gain and lose weight between fights, endeared him to fans across the world.
“Devastated. A legend, a warrior, and a great person,” said former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney on X.
Hatton was open about the mental health issues he endured upon his retirement from the ring.
“As fighters, we tell ourselves we’re strong – we train, we sweat, we take hits, we get up. But sometimes the hardest fight happens in silence, in the mind,” Khan added on X. “Mental health isn’t weakness. It’s part of being human. And we must talk about it. We must reach out. We must lean on each other.”
Hatton’s all-action style added to his popularity. He built up a passionate following in the UK before truly announcing himself on the world stage with his epic victory against Tszyu for the IBF world super lightweight (light welterweight) title in 2005.
Pound for pound great Tszyu had only lost twice before, but was forced to retire on his stool in front of 22,000 fans in Manchester.
Hatton later described it as his greatest win but it was just the start of a period when he fought at the top of the sport, with thousands of fans following him to America for huge fights.
In a post on X, his former manager, Frank Warren, described him as a “superbly talented fighter who inspired a generation of young boxers and fans in a way very few had done before,” adding he will “rightly go down as one of the modern greats of this sport.”
Hatton lost for the first time in his career against Mayweather at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2007.
After a sold out homecoming at Manchester City’s stadium a year later, he worked his way back to the top of the sport to take on Manny Pacquiao in 2009, losing inside two rounds.
Hatton retired after that defeat, but made a remarkable comeback four years later after piling on weight and enduring issues with depression and drinking, as well as allegations of drug use.
While he lost to Senchenko, the very fact he managed to return to the ring was seen as a personal triumph.
The British Boxing Board of Control said it was “very saddened” to hear of his passing.
Outside of the ring, Hatton was a lifelong fan of Manchester City.
The club said there would be a minute of appreciation for Hatton at Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
“Ricky was one of City’s most loved and revered supporters, who will always be remembered for a glittering boxing career that saw him win world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight,” City said in a statement. “Everyone at the Club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.”
The announcement of Hatton’s return to the ring later this year came after he had enjoyed success as a trainer, coaching Zhanat Zhakiyanov to a world bantamweight title win in 2017.
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