Ricky Hatton has died aged 46.
Hatton was found dead at his home in Hyde on Sunday morning. Greater Manchester Police said they are not treating the death as suspicious.
A police spokesperson said: “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. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
Hatton held multiple world championships at light-welterweight and one at welterweight during a 15-year professional career.
The British boxing great had been due to make a comeback to the ring in December.
Hatton’s stellar career included epic fights against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
Tributes for Hatton
Hatton’s career summary
Hatton held multiple world championships in the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions during his boxing career which spanned from 1997 to 2012.
He held the WBU title between 2001 and 2004 – making 15 successful defences of that title, which followed the British light-welterweight title he won in 2000.
Hatton then became a unified light-welterweight champion in 2005, which represented the height of his career. He won the IBF, Ring and lineal titles by beating Kostya Tszyu that year, before beating Carlos Maussa to claim the WBA title.
He made his welterweight debut the following year, claiming the WBA title by defeating Luis Collazo. After winning another IBF light-welterweight title in 2007, he suffered his first career defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
He then lost his light-welterweight titles to Manny Pacquiao in 2009. Hatton retired in 2011 but made a comeback in 2012, where he was beaten by Vyacheslav Senchenko. He was due to make a comeback later this year.
‘A remarkable human being who captured the public’s imagination’
Sky Sports’ Craig Slater said British sport has lost someone who truly captured the imagination of the boxing public.
“He was a remarkable human being,” he said. “I had the great pleasure of knowing him as a friend. I got to know him before he turned professional and this is devastating news for all of us that knew him.
“His was without question one of the great careers in British boxing. He had some nights which were without compare in British boxing history which took the sport to new heights and reached new audiences. He was a one-off.
“We can talk about the record and the number of fans that followed him around the world but this was a beloved son, father and friend to so many people who did so much good.
“What was great about him was that he was so unassuming, modest, quiet and there was a shy side to him as well. He wasn’t someone who revelled in the spotlight.
“In box office terms and in terms of capturing the public’s imagination, Ricky Hatton did that more than anyone else in the last half century in British boxing.”
More to follow…
