Ricky Hatton, the former world boxing champion who rose to turn out to be some of the widespread fighters within the sport, has died. He was 46.
Hatton was discovered useless at his residence in Higher Manchester, Britain’s Press Affiliation reported Sunday.
Police stated they weren’t treating the loss of life as suspicious.
“Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am today where they found the body of a 46-year-old man,” Higher Manchester Police stated in an announcement. “There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
Police wouldn’t reveal the identification of the person, however stated they have been working along with his household to offer an announcement for media.
Associates of Hatton have been fast to pay tribute Sunday morning.
“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 publish, with photographs 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 by way of novice and home ranges and on the peak of his profession shared the ring with the very best boxers of his technology together with Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Hatton’s down-to-earth manner additionally endeared him to followers internationally, and he was open in regards to 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 really asserting himself on the world stage along 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 pressured to retire on his stool in entrance of twenty-two,000 followers in Manchester.
Hatton later described it as his biggest win however 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 enormous fights.
In a publish 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,” adding he will “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 offered 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, dropping inside two rounds.
Hatton retired after that defeat, however made a exceptional comeback 4 years later after piling on weight and enduring points with despair and ingesting, in addition to allegations of drug use.
Whereas he misplaced to Vyacheslav Senchenko, the actual fact he managed to return to the ring was seen as a private triumph.
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 an announcement. “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.
