Former world champion Ricky Hatton found dead at 46 as boxing world mourns

Former world champion Ricky Hatton was found dead at his home in Hyde on Sunday, his long-serving manager discovered, police and people close to the boxer said. Greater Manchester Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious, and the South Manchester coroner had not released a preliminary cause.

Hatton, 46, had been due to travel to Dubai to sign a contract for an exhibition fight in December and was expected to board a flight on Monday, people close to him said. He had not been seen since the previous Thursday, according to accounts from friends and fellow boxing figures.

Those close to Hatton said he had been coping with grief after the suicide of a friend, David Leigh, whose funeral he attended earlier in the month. An emotional post on Hatton's Instagram after the funeral read, "I wish you could have reached out to us mate. See you shortly," according to screenshots and accounts from friends.

Stacey Copeland, a former professional boxer and a friend of Hatton's, said Hatton was last seen at a gym on Thursday and had joked about his age, while also mentioning he had "a problem with his elbow." Copeland told a BBC Five Live special that the final conversation had appeared light-hearted and that friends were left in shock when Hatton was reported missing.

Paul Speak, Hatton's long-serving manager and friend, went to his home after the boxer failed to appear at a boxing event in Manchester on Saturday night and found his body on Sunday morning, broadcaster Steve Bunce said. Bunce described the relationship between Speak and Hatton as a close one, spanning more than two decades.

Greater Manchester Police reiterated that the death was not being treated as suspicious but offered no further details. Hatton's parents, Carol and Ray, issued a statement describing their son as "so much more than a world champion" and noting his roles as "a loving father, grandfather, and brother, and a true friend to many." They did not disclose a cause of death and said the family's loss was "immeasurable."

Hatton came to prominence in the late 1990s and 2000s with an aggressive, pressure-fighting style that made him a national favourite. He won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and amassed a large following, including tens of thousands of Brits who travelled to Las Vegas to watch his fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2007.

High-profile defeats to Mayweather and later to Manny Pacquiao in 2009 marked turning points in his life and career. Hatton spoke publicly about his struggles with mental health, addiction to drugs and alcohol, and multiple suicide attempts. In a 2022 BBC interview he said he had "tried killing myself several times" and had contemplated "drink and drug myself to death" after what he described as hitting "rock bottom." He also spent time in a rehabilitation facility and later worked as an ambassador for mental health awareness in sport.

Friends and colleagues paid tribute on Monday. Former England football captain Wayne Rooney, who once carried Hatton's belt into the ring in Las Vegas, said simply that the news was "just devastating." Figures across British boxing expressed shock at the death of one of the sport's most recognisable figures.

An inquest into the death of David Leigh, whom Hatton had mourned, was opened on Aug. 21 and gave a provisional cause as hanging. Friends and family said Leigh's death had hit Hatton hard.

Hatton had been linked to an exhibition bout in Dubai against a UAE opponent, Eisa Al Dah, with promoters and those close to him saying he planned a return to the ring later in the year. A flight to Dubai was reported to have been booked for Monday, but he was found dead about 24 hours before he was due to depart from Manchester Airport.

Police said inquiries were ongoing and gave no timetable for any coroner's hearing. The manner and precise cause of Hatton's death will be determined after a post-mortem and any subsequent inquest, officials said.

Hatton's life and career were marked by both sporting success and highly publicised personal struggles. He was known for his tenacity in the ring and for candid discussions about the mental-health challenges he faced after major defeats. Those who knew him, and many of the fans he inspired, described him as affable and loyal, and his death prompted an outpouring of condolences across the boxing community.

Further details on the circumstances of Hatton's death and the dates for any public funeral or memorial had not been announced on Monday. Authorities asked anyone with relevant information to contact Greater Manchester Police as inquiries continue.