The sports world prepares to bid farewell to a legend. Ricky Hatton, the charismatic boxer who conquered hearts and titles, will be honored at an emotional funeral in Manchester.
Hatton, known for his aggressive fighting style and his closeness to the fans, will be remembered in a ceremony that promises to be a tribute to his life and achievements.
A Farewell to a Champion
On Friday, Manchester will be in mourning to say the last goodbye to Ricky Hatton, a boxing icon who unified the super lightweight division and also won a welterweight world title.
Hatton, who was found dead at his home in Hyde at the age of 46, will be remembered for his bravery and his indomitable spirit.
The funeral procession will begin at 9:45 a.m. BST at the Cheshire Cheese pub, Hatton’s favorite place, and will head to Manchester Cathedral.
Thousands of people are expected to gather in the streets to pay tribute to his life and legacy.
The funeral cortege will include stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, where he starred in some of his most memorable nights.
One of the most outstanding moments was his victory over Kostya Tszyu 20 years ago, on an epic night where he conquered his first world title.
After a private memorial service at noon, the memorial march will head to the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, a team loved by Hatton.
The news of Hatton’s death was announced hours before the Manchester derby at Eastlands, and a minute of applause was held before the start of the match by players and fans of both City and United.
This was just one of the countless tributes to the “Hitman”, including messages from prominent figures such as Frank Bruno, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, as well as Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao and Roberto Duran, Hatton’s idol.
Hatton’s action-packed fighting style earned him 45 wins and only three losses in 48 bouts. However, it was his approachable and humble personality that made him loved by professionals and fans around the world.
This was evidenced by the tens of thousands of followers who accompanied him to Las Vegas, where he fought against Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao, considered the best boxers of their time. The stories of the fans from the United Kingdom singing “there’s only one Ricky Hatton” and drinking until they exhausted the reserves of the sin city, are already part of boxing folklore.
Hatton suffered his first professional defeat when he was stopped by Mayweather in 2007, while a brutal second-round knockout against Pacquiao two years later precipitated his fall from top-level boxing.
A failed comeback attempt against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 marked Hatton’s first public admission of his difficulties adjusting to life after boxing.
He was a tireless ambassador for mental health charities, as well as Manchester-based Barnabus, which supports the homeless and vulnerable, and became a successful coach in an attempt to fill the void.
After participating in a non-scored exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico in 2022, Hatton announced in July that he would return to the ring in a professional fight in Dubai in December.
He had resumed training and his family said he had been “in a good place” and “excited about the future” before his death, for which Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
