Former two-division world champion Ricky Hatton was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester, England, according to the Manchester Evening News.
A police statement has stated that there are “not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”
Hatton, a British boxing icon and popular the world over, was 46 years old.
Hatton won the IBF super lightweight world title in 2005, upsetting future Hall of Famer Kotsya Tszyu with an 11th round knockout in front of a raucous crowd at home in Manchester.
He also won the WBA welterweight title against Luis Collazo in 2006.
Hatton also notably came to the United States for losses to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in 2007 and 2009, bringing with him a loud, wild army of fans that spoke incredibly of his connection to the people of Manchester and the United Kingdom.
After the loss to Pacquiao, Hatton retired from the sport, returning to face Vyacheslav Senchenko in late 2012, where he was ahead on the cards before he was stopped on a body shot in the ninth round. Hatton announced another retirement after that fight, saying he needed “one more fight” to see if he still had it in the ring, and found out that he didn’t.
Hatton had been training again and planning a December return to action, telling The Sun, “It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I’m at. Especially bearing in mind all my problems I’ve had personally with mental health and stuff like that.”
Hatton was open about mental health and addiction struggles in his life, and remained popular with fight fans in retirement.
“The Hitman” was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the 2024 class. He had a career record of 45-3 (32 KO).
Bad Left Hook sends our best wishes to his family and loved ones.
