NEED TO KNOW
- Ricky Hatton, a boxing legend and former world champion, has died at age 46
- The athlete was found dead in England on Sunday, Sept. 14
- Hatton was set to compete in his first professional match since retiring in 2012 on Dec. 2
Boxing legend and former world champion Ricky Hatton has died. He was 46.
The athlete was found dead on Sunday, Sept. 14, in England. Greater Manchester Police said in a statement that they received a call at 6:45 a.m. local time, and when they arrived on the scene, they “found the body of a 46-year-old man.”
“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances,” police said, adding that Hatton’s body has since “been referred to the coroner.” An official cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Manchester City confirmed Hatton’s death in a tribute, calling him “one of City’s most loved and revered supporters.”
“He will always be remembered,” the league continued. “Everyone at the Club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.”
According to Manchester City, there will be a tribute to Hatton at the upcoming Sept. 14 match.
Hatton, also known as “The Hitman,” won 45 of his 48 fights during his 15 years as a professional boxer from 1997 and 2012. He took a break from 2009 to 2012 after losing in a match against Manny Pacquiao.
The boxer returned to the ring in 2012 and promptly lost to Vyacheslav Senchenko, after which he announced his retirement.
Hatton remained retired, until it was announced earlier this year in July, per The Independent, that he was set to compete against Eisa Al Dah on Dec. 2.
The boxer was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2024, according to ESPN.
Hatton was father to three children: Millie, Fearne and Campbell. He also had a granddaughter, Lyla.
Over the years, the boxer opened up about his struggles with his mental health and substance abuse. “It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I’m at. Especially bearing in mind all my problems I’ve had personally with mental health and stuff like that,” he recently said in an interview with The Sun.
As for his anticipated comeback, he told the outlet, “It makes me feel so proud that I was so loved and that people get worried when they hear of me making a comeback. But I’m not as daft as I look. I know what fights are beyond me, I know which fights are silly for me, I know which fights I’m capable of and which ones are sensible for me. And this is one of them, so I’ll do you proud again.”
Tributes have poured in for Hatton after his death. Conor McGregor shared a photo of himself and the late boxer with the caption, “Rest in Peace Ricky Hatton!”
Former professional boxer Amir Khan wrote alongside his own tribute, “Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton. 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. 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.”
“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what’s possible,” he added.
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Pacquiao, 46, remembered Hatton as “not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life.”
He continued, “We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honor the respect and sportsmanship he showed. 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.”
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