By By Micheal Chukwuebuka
Ricky Hatton, the former world boxing champion and one of Britain’s most beloved fighters, has died at the age of 46.
The retired champion was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester early on Sunday morning. Police confirmed they are not treating his death as suspicious.
“Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am today where they found the body of a 46-year-old man,” Greater Manchester Police said in a statement. “There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
Tributes have poured in from across the sporting world.
“Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior,” wrote former world champion Amir Khan.
Young Ricky Hatton
“RIP to the legend Ricky Hatton. There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton,” said Tyson Fury in an Instagram post, sharing photos of the two together.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney added: “Devastated. A legend, a warrior, and a great person.”
Manny Pacquiao, who fought Hatton in 2009, described him as “not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life,” adding: “He truly had a good fight, and we are all blessed to have been part of his journey.”
Hatton’s death comes just two months after the surprise announcement that he would return to professional boxing in December in Dubai, facing Eisa Al Dah. He had not fought since 2012, when he was stopped by Vyacheslav Senchenko.
Known as “The Hitman”, Hatton was a two-weight world champion, winning titles at light-welterweight and welterweight. He enjoyed an illustrious career, facing some of the sport’s greatest names, including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao.
His victory over Tszyu in 2005 to claim the IBF light-welterweight title at Manchester Arena remains his career-defining triumph, watched by 22,000 fans in a febrile atmosphere. Hatton later described the night as the greatest of his career.
He went on to become a global name, with thousands of British fans famously travelling across the Atlantic to support him in Las Vegas for his showdowns with Mayweather in 2007 and Pacquiao in 2009.
Despite his successes, Hatton’s career was also marked by struggles with depression, weight gain, alcohol and drug allegations. He was candid about his battles with mental health, telling fans: “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.”
Even after his official retirement, Hatton remained deeply involved in the sport. As a trainer, he guided Kazakhstan’s Zhanat Zhakiyanov to a bantamweight world title in 2017.
The British Boxing Board of Control said it was “very saddened” by news of his passing. His former promoter Frank Warren hailed him as a “superbly talented fighter who inspired a generation of young boxers and fans” and “one of the modern greats of this sport”.
Outside the ring, Hatton was a devoted Manchester City supporter. The club confirmed a minute of appreciation will be held at Sunday’s derby against Manchester United, describing him as “one of City’s most loved and revered supporters, who will always be remembered for a glittering boxing career”.
Hatton is survived by his two sons, Campbell and Connor.
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