SEPT. 14, 2024: A weekend that was a celebration for boxing ended in tragedy with the announcement of the death of Ricky Hatton at age 46. Hatton was a two-division champion and an iconic and beloved figure in British sport. He was a working class hero in the city of Manchester, England and his 2005 victory over Kostya Tszyu to win the world junior welterweight championship was one of the greatest nights in British boxing history. Hatton was found dead at his home in Hyde on Sunday morning. Greater Manchester Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious.
A police spokesperson said: "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. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances."
Hatton held multiple world championships at super-lightweight and one at welterweight during a 15-year professional career. The British boxing great had been due to make a comeback to the ring in December. Hatton's stellar career included epic fights against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao (both losses), a legendary triumph over Kostya Tszyu.
Sky Sports' Craig Slater said British sport has lost someone who truly captured the imagination of the boxing public. "He was a remarkable human being," he said. "I had the great pleasure of knowing him as a friend. I got to know him before he turned professional and this is devastating news for all of us that knew him. His was without question one of the great careers in British boxing. He had some nights which were without compare in British boxing history which took the sport to new heights and reached new audiences. He was a one-off. We can talk about the record and the number of fans that followed him around the world but this was a beloved son, father and friend to so many people who did so much good. What was great about him was that he was so unassuming, modest, quiet and there was a shy side to him as well. He wasn't someone who revelled in the spotlight. In box office terms and in terms of capturing the public's imagination, Ricky Hatton did that more than anyone else in the last half century in British boxing."
Marco Antonio Barrera: "Ricky was a once in a lifetime man. I am eternally grateful I got to share the ring with him [in a 2022 exhibition]. May he rest in peace, he will be missed deeply. Ricky was my closest friend in boxing. I’ll miss you, my friend. There will only be one Ricky Hatton."
