Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has died at 46. Greater Manchester Police said officers were called by a member of the public to Bowlacre Road in Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45 AM (local time), where they found the body of a 46-year-old man. Police said the Ricky Hatton cause of death is not being treated as suspicious.
Hatton was one of Britain’s most popular fighters of the 2000s. Nicknamed the Hitman, he won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and drew huge crowds with a relentless, front-foot style.
He rose from the amateur and domestic scene to face elite opponents including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He started 43-0 before his first loss to Mayweather at the MGM Grand in 2007 and finished 45-3.
He last boxed professionally in 2012, losing to Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Senchenko, and had announced a return in a middleweight bout against the United Arab Emirates’ Eisa Al Dah on Dec. 2.
Tributes across sport honor a British icon
Tributes poured in from across sport. Amir Khan called Hatton one of Britain’s greatest boxers and also a friend, mentor and warrior, thanking him for his grit and the moments he gave fans.
Tyson Fury said there would only ever be one Ricky Hatton and described the loss as unbelievable at such a young age. Anthony Fowler said he felt sick at the news and posted a message of condolence.
Former Liverpool striker Michael Owen called him a great person and a great fighter and said the news was incredibly sad.
Manchester reflects on a die-hard City supporter
Manchester figures said Hatton’s appeal went beyond the ring. BBC Sport Centre’s Hugh Ferris said the boxer united a city often split by football loyalties.
Ferris described him as a die-hard Manchester City supporter who counted Oasis brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher as friends and said Hatton was widely admired at home and around the world.
Former City defender Micah Richards called the news devastating and remembered Hatton as a British icon, a true City fan and a man of the people. Richards recalled Hatton’s patience when showing him basic boxing skills in the gym and said the loss felt surreal.
Vincent Kompany, a former City captain and now a manager, shared a photo with Hatton and Liam Gallagher and said he would be missed, adding thoughts for his family and friends.
Clubs and community add condolences and memories
Manchester City paid formal tribute, calling him one of the club’s most loved and respected supporters. The club said few British boxers built such a dedicated following and highlighted his sky-blue shorts, his Blue Moon ring walk and his fight against Juan Lazcano at the Etihad Stadium.
City said it would hold a minute’s appreciation at today’s derby against Manchester United and sent condolences to his family and friends. Local club Hyde United said it was devastated, calling Hatton a local and boxing legend who championed community sport and gave back.
Former Liverpool player John Aldridge said he met Hatton several times and remembered him as a top person taken too young. Soccer Aid shared photos of Hatton playing in its 2010 charity match and recalled his lighthearted verdict afterward that he should stick to boxing.
Boxing figures recall influence, excitement and kindness
From inside the sport, tributes spanned generations and roles. Luke Campbell, the mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire and an Olympic boxing gold medalist, said he grew up watching Hatton and found him an inspiration and a legend. Trainer Adam Booth said the news was heartbreaking and hoped Hatton’s spirit could feel the love that always surrounded him.
Promoter Eddie Hearn called it devastating. Former Scottish heavyweight champion Nick Campbell remembered the electric atmosphere when Hatton fought Mayweather in Las Vegas and said it brought out the best in Mayweather, adding that Hatton was the life and soul of any boxing gym.
Belfast’s Ryan Burnett, whom Hatton trained, managed and promoted early in his professional career, posted photos of them together and said his friend would be sorely missed. Professional figure skater Robin Johnstone, who partnered Hatton on Dancing on Ice, said she was beyond sad and called him a true friend as she sent love to his daughters and son.
Unified super-bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney said Hatton was one of her first introductions to boxing and that his impact on the sport would last. Former WBO female world lightweight champion Rhiannon Dixon said the sport lost a legend, but the love and respect he earned would endure.
WBO female lightweight champion Terri Harper called the news heartbreaking. Former world champion Billy Schwer said the world was shocked and remembered Hatton as a larger-than-life figure loved by many with a sharp sense of humor.
Hatton spoke openly about mental health and recovery
Beyond the ring, Hatton was candid about mental health. He became an ambassador in 2023 for the Campaign Against Living Miserably. In a 2020 BBC interview, he said that if a boxer can admit to struggling and crying every day, it can make a big difference.
He spoke of his darkest period after losses to Mayweather in 2007 and Pacquiao in 2009, saying he felt his career was over despite a brief comeback in 2012.
He described hitting rock bottom after fallouts with his parents and longtime trainer Billy Graham and said he went down a destructive path that was painful for others to witness.
In 2022, as he prepared for an exhibition with former rival and friend Marco Antonio Barrera at Manchester’s AO Arena, he said he had become massively overweight, was drinking every weekend and eating too many takeaways.
He set a goal to get in shape for the exhibition to inspire others and later said he got everything he wanted and more from the experience.
Stockport roots and a grounded public image
Hatton’s roots helped shape his public image. Born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in October 1978, he was a proud Mancunian and a lifelong Manchester City fan who often entered to Blue Moon.
He grew up in a pub on a council estate and once recalled helping out behind the bar with his brother Matthew for pocket money. He started boxing at 11, and his parents set up a small gym in the pub basement when he was 12 so he could train on a punching bag.
Before turning professional, he worked in the family carpet business and joked that he was not much good at it. He had a brief but successful amateur career, then turned professional and built a global following. He had three children and was never married.
Police emphasize no suspicious circumstances in death
Police emphasized there are no suspicious circumstances as they investigate. Authorities did not release further details. The Ricky Hatton cause of death remains a matter for official findings, as friends, fans and the boxing world continue to mourn a singular British champion.
