Ricky Hatton, Hall of Fame Boxer, Dies at Age 46

Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton of Manchester, England, who rose to become one of the most popular fighters in the sport, has died. He was 46.

Hatton was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester, Britain’s Press Association reported Sunday. Greater Manchester Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious.

“Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45 am today (GMT) 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.”

Police would not reveal the identity of the man, but said they were working with his family to provide a statement for media.

Ricky Hatton’s Hall of Fame Career

Hatton won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame with the Class of 2024, and I was among the members of the Boxing Writers Association of America who voted for Hatton. Hatton was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 New Year’s Honours List for his services to sport, as well as being inducted into Manchester’s City of Champions Hall of Fame in 2019.

Hatton rose through amateur and domestic levels and at the height of his career shared the ring with the best boxers of his generation, including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquiao. He won six world titles in three weight divisions, making him one of Great Britain’s most accomplished fighters of his generation.

Hatton’s down-to-earth demeanour also endeared him to fans across the world. After retiring, Hatton battled with addiction and was open about the mental health issues he endured upon his retirement from the ring.

Hatton was a famous Manchester City supporter, and the club held a minute’s applause before Sunday’s Manchester Derby, with players also wearing black armbands in remembrance of the boxer.

“My heart goes out to his family at this hard time,” Manchester City attacking midfielder Phil Foden told Sky Sports. “To hear the news just before a big game is devastating. I’m sure he’d have been here today supporting us. Today is for him and we’re going to try and get the win and do the best we can for him.”

City won 3-0, and Foden said the game was for Hatton and for people suffering right now, adding “The lads made sure we gave everything today. It wasn’t a pretty match at the end but the way we ran, it was all for him and we’re delighted with the result.”

Tributes Pour In For Ricky Hatton

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who was in Las Vegas in the corner of Callum Walsh fighting in Saturday’s co-main event on the Canelo vs. Crawford undercard, offered a statement on Hatton’s passing. He was in the corner when Manny Pacquiao stopped Hatton with a memorable powerhouse knockout on May 2, 2009 in Las Vegas.

Although the fight came to a shocked end for Hatton, he and his devoted British fans who came to Las Vegas to support him delighted observers with their enthusiasm for their fighter.

“Boxing has lost a great talent and a wonderful man. Manny and I so enjoyed working with Ricky promoting their fight,” said Roach.

“Ricky had a wonderful sense of humor, but more importantly, he was a warrior and a winner.  Manny and I cut no corners in training camp preparing for that fight because we had so much respect for him.  The team at Wild Card Boxing joins me in mourning the loss of Ricky as we extend our sympathies to his family and friends.  There will be only one Ricky Hatton.”

“Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton,” said another former world champion, Amir Khan on X.

“Rip to the legend Ricky Hatton may he rip,” former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury said in an Instagram post, with photos of the pair together. “There will only ever be 1 Ricky Hatton. can’t believe this so young.”

“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.”

In his way, the unbridled affection of the British fans for Hatton as a symbol of British boxing is similar to the affection American fans have for the late Arturo Gatti. Their passion for the sport often overshadows their meaningful accomplishments in the ring.

Ricky Hatton Scheduled For Ring Return in December

Ricky Hatton had announced a return to the ring in December before his death on September 14 at age 46. Photo: Courtesy AgendaDubai/Instagram

News of Hatton’s death comes two months after he announced he would make a return to boxing in December in a professional bout against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai.

Hatton had been out of the ring for more than a decade save for a 2022 exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera, but had said he was waiting for a “good and sensible fight” for him before announcing a return via his Instagram account.

“I always said after my exhibition a couple of years ago against Marco if another opportunity came up, I’d always look at it and weigh up the pros and cons,” said Hatton of the exhibition bout against Barrera. “I have done, and this is a good and sensible fight for me.

“I’m 47 years old, not unlike my opponent, I’m not 58 years old. I’m not going into world level or straight into a world title fight. I know I’m no longer at world level these days. But I have the good sense to know what fights are good for me and what fights are beyond me. No matter how old we get in life, we still have goals, ambitions, targets to set yourself.”

Hatton’s final social media post referenced training for the upcoming December fight, showing himself working out on a treadmill.

Hatton’s legacy includes three children including his son Campbell, age 24, who followed his father into professional boxing. The younger Hatton faced a glaring spotlight as a prospect due to his famous name. Even if he’d changed it, he so greatly resembled his father it would have been impossible to hide. Campbell Hatton showed plenty of promise, but in 2024, he suffered two back-to-back decision losses against James Flint.

Campbell Hatton then retired following the death of his best friend Justin Lee Chappell last March at age 27. His father announced his decision, telling the publication Boxing Now his son wouldn’t fight again. Now the younger Hatton, his siblings and his family are hit again by a devastating loss.