Ricky Hatton, the previous world boxing champion who rose to change into one of the vital widespread fighters within the sport, has died. He was 46.
The World Boxing Affiliation mourned Hatton’s demise on social media Sunday.
“With deep sadness, the WBA mourns the passing of Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton,” the WBA wrote. “A true champion, an indomitable spirit, and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world.”
Police stated they weren’t treating the demise as suspicious.
Police wouldn’t reveal the id of the person, however stated they have been working together with his household to offer a press release for the media.
Mates of Hatton have been fast to pay tribute Sunday morning.
Boxer Ricky Hatton stands by the pitch earlier than Manchester Metropolis’s English Premier League soccer match in opposition to Manchester United on the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Sunday Sept. 22, 2013.
Jon Tremendous / AP
“Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton,” former world champion Amir Khan posted on X.
“Rip to the legend Ricky Hatton may he rip,” former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury stated in an Instagram put up, with images of the pair collectively. “There will only ever be 1 Ricky Hatton. can’t believe this so young.”
Hatton received world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight.
He rose via beginner and home ranges and on the peak of his profession shared the ring with one of the best boxers of his technology, together with Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Floyd Mayweather, left, fights Ricky Hatton in tge WBC Welterweight Title at MGM Grand Backyard Area, Las Vegas, on Aug. 12, 2007.
Junior Motion Photographs by way of Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Picture
Hatton’s down-to-earth manner additionally endeared him to followers internationally, and he was open concerning the psychological well being points he endured upon his retirement from the ring.
“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.”
Hatton’s all-action fashion added to his reputation. He constructed up a passionate following within the UK earlier than actually asserting himself on the world stage together with his epic victory in opposition to Tszyu for the IBF world tremendous light-weight title in 2005.
Pound for pound, nice Tszyu had solely misplaced twice earlier than, however was compelled to retire on his stool in entrance of twenty-two,000 followers in Manchester.
Hatton later described it as his biggest win nevertheless it was simply the beginning of a interval when he fought on the prime of the game, with hundreds of followers following him to America for large fights.
In a put up on X, his former supervisor, Frank Warren, described him as a “superbly talented fighter who inspired a generation of young boxers and fans in a way very few had done before,” including he’ll “rightly go down as one of the modern greats of this sport.”
Hatton misplaced for the primary time in his profession in opposition to Mayweather on the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2007.
After a sold-out homecoming at Manchester Metropolis’s stadium a yr later, he labored his means again to the highest of the game to tackle Manny Pacquiao in 2009, shedding inside two rounds.
Hatton retired after that defeat, however made a exceptional comeback 4 years later after piling on weight and enduring points with melancholy and consuming, in addition to allegations of drug use.
Whereas he misplaced to Vyacheslav Senchenko, the actual fact that he managed to return to the ring was seen as a private triumph.
Talking to the BBC in 2022, Ricky Hatton mentioned his struggles together with his psychological well being over time. After his knockout in 2009 he knew his profession was over, regardless of a short-lived comeback in 2012.
“I had no boxing. My career was over. I’d fallen out with my parents. I’d fallen out with my trainer Billy Graham. That’s when it got to rock bottom,” he stated. “I just went out on the warpath. It was horrible for people to see.”
He turned an envoy for the psychological well being charity Marketing campaign In opposition to Dwelling Miserably in 2023, in response to the BBC.
“If a boxer can come out and say they’re struggling and crying every day, it’s going to make a huge difference,” he defined to the BBC in 2020.
“Having gone through it, I now see it as my job to help those suffering with mental health.”
Exterior of the ring, Hatton was a lifelong fan of Manchester Metropolis.
The membership stated there could be a minute of appreciation for Hatton at Sunday’s derby in opposition to Manchester United.
“Ricky was one of City’s most loved and revered supporters, who will always be remembered for a glittering boxing career that saw him win world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight,” Metropolis stated in a press release. “Everyone at the Club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time.”
The announcement of Hatton’s return to the ring later this yr got here after he had loved success as a coach, teaching Zhanat Zhakiyanov to a world bantamweight title win in 2017.
For those who or somebody you understand is in emotional misery or a suicidal disaster, you may attain the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline by calling or texting 988. You can even chat with the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline right here.
For extra details about psychological well being care assets and assist, The Nationwide Alliance on Psychological Sickness (NAMI) HelpLine will be reached Monday via Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264).
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