British boxing has been stunned by the news that Ricky Hatton has died at the age of 46. Greater Manchester Police confirmed that his body was discovered at his home in Gee Cross at 6.45 a.m. on Sunday morning. Authorities stated that the death is not being treated as suspicious.
Hatton, a former world champion at junior welterweight and welterweight, was regarded as one of Britain’s greatest and most beloved fighters. Known for his relentless pressure style and loyal following, he reached the sport’s pinnacle in 2005 when he defeated Kostya Tszyu to win the IBF junior welterweight title in what is remembered as one of the finest victories in British boxing history. He went on to claim the WBA welterweight crown with a win over Luis Collazo in 2006.
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His career also included high-profile challenges against Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao in 2009, bouts that drew massive British support both at home and abroad. In 2008, Hatton drew a post-war record crowd of 55,000 fans to Manchester City’s stadium, highlighting his immense popularity.
Hatton retired after a 2012 defeat to Vyacheslav Senchenko, but remained a central figure in the sport as a trainer and mentor, while also briefly returning in a 2022 exhibition against his friend Marco Antonio Barrera. Away from the ring, he was candid about his battles with mental health, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse, struggles that accompanied him throughout the later years of his life.
He leaves behind three children – Campbell, who also boxed professionally, Millie and Fearne – as well as a grandchild. For British boxing, Ricky Hatton’s passing is not only the loss of a world champion, but of a fighter whose heart, humility, and connection with fans made him one of the nation’s most cherished sporting icons.
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