Vegas nights with 'Rocky' Hatton's Mancunian army

Ricky Hatton’s death at the age of 46 was announced on Sunday, and fans who followed the Manchester boxer to Las Vegas recalled how his three fights at the MGM Grand between 2007 and 2009 became defining moments for a devoted travelling support. The trips crystallised Hatton’s status as a crowd favourite and turned transatlantic flights, hotel rooms and tickets into souvenirs of a blue-collar fighter who connected with ordinary people.

Once Hatton rose through the light-welterweight ranks, his all-action style and modest background — he grew up above a pub on a council estate and worked in the family carpet business — helped him develop a fiercely loyal following. He built a lengthy unbeaten run at home, winning 41 consecutive fights from his professional debut in Widnes in 1997, and travelled to the United States to face Juan Urango and Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas, victories that widened his appeal.

Armed with a 43-0 record, Hatton challenged Floyd Mayweather for welterweight titles at the MGM Grand in 2007. The contest drew thousands of supporters from Manchester; more than 5,000 people attended a pre-fight weigh-in where Hatton’s followers serenaded him with chants of "Walking in a Hatton wonderland" and booed Mayweather. Fans who paid hundreds of pounds for tickets said the atmosphere was unlike anything they had seen.

"The Americans were stunned by the amount of people and the noise," said Sean McManamon, a fan from Urmston who attended the Mayweather fight with his father and a friend. "We paid about £700 for tickets to the fight — they were right at the back, but we just had to be there. Ricky was a proper Mancunian. We're big United fans, but you put your football allegiance aside for Ricky Hatton."

Hatton returned to Manchester in May 2008 to defeat Juan Lazcano on points in front of 55,000 at the City of Manchester Stadium, then went back to Las Vegas six months later to defend his light-welterweight titles. In that 2008 bout, he beat Paulie Malignaggi when the challenger’s corner stopped the fight in the 11th round. Prior to that fight, Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis were among celebrities involved in the build-up, carrying Hatton’s belts into the ring.

The following year Hatton faced Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in 2009. Pacquiao, already a multi-division world champion, knocked Hatton out in the second round; it proved to be the penultimate fight of Hatton’s professional career and his last in Las Vegas. Despite that defeat, many fans said the experience of travelling with friends and family to see him in Sin City remained one of their most cherished sporting memories.

Fans described Hatton as accessible and unpretentious, a figure who felt like someone you might "have bumped into in the pub the night before." James Corcoran, who runs an Oasis podcast and travelled for the Mayweather contest, said Hatton attracted support across social divides and from some American boxing fans as well.

"Thousands of us just descended on Vegas," Corcoran said. "The atmosphere was electric — everywhere you went, all you heard was 'One Ricky Hatton' being sung. Everyone loved him. Mayweather was American and the number one boxer in the world. But Ricky really connected with people there — there were lots of Americans supporting him."

Supporters recalled organising themselves into groups for the trips, pooling money for flights, tickets and accommodation despite the cost. The journeys produced moments fans still recount years later: the noisy weigh-ins, large parties on the Las Vegas Strip, and the shared sense of being part of something bigger than a single fight.

"When Ricky came along, we immediately felt like we had a connection with him, because he was so down to earth, so open and honest," said Jamie Hind, a 47-year-old fan who lived in Cheshire and Manchester during Hatton’s career. "You just felt like you knew him and couldn't help but be carried on the wave of enthusiasm for him."

Supporters said Hatton’s identity as a working-class Mancunian — and his approachable personality — allowed him to unite fans from across the city and beyond, temporarily setting aside local football rivalries. The experiences in Las Vegas, fans said, underlined why Hatton was viewed as more than a boxer to many who followed him.

Although Hatton’s run in elite boxing included highs and lows, his Stateside legacy endures in the memories of those who flew thousands of miles to support him. "Anyone who went to one of those fights will never forget it," McManamon said. "He typified that Mancunian heart and sense of humour. He was one of the lads. That's why people loved him so much."