Celebrities Gather to Bid Farewell to Ricky Hatton
The world of sports and music came together to bid farewell to former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton, who passed away at the age of 46. The funeral ceremony was held at Manchester Cathedral, where prominent figures paid tribute to the boxing legend.
Among those in attendance were Liam Gallagher, Oasis frontman and close friend of Hatton, as well as renowned boxer Tyson Fury and football star Wayne Rooney.The funeral procession, which began at the Cheshire Cheese pub, Hatton’s usual haunt, was led by the famous Reliant Robin from the series “Only Fools and Horses”. Hatton was a big fan of the show and even bought one of the original vehicles.
The funeral procession included stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, where the boxer experienced some of his most glorious moments, highlighting his victory over Kostya Tszyu two decades ago, which earned him his first world title.
Thousands of people gathered in the streets to show their respect for Hatton, while a private memorial service was held in the cathedral.
In addition to Gallagher, the presence of important figures from British boxing such as Tony Bellew and Frank Bruno stood out. Also present were former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.After the service, the procession headed to the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, a team Hatton was a loyal supporter of.
The news of Hatton’s death was known hours before the Manchester derby, which led to a minute of applause from the players and fans of both teams.
Hatton’s fighting style, characterized by constant action, earned him 45 victories and only three defeats in 48 fights. His approachable and accessible personality made him well-liked by his colleagues and fans around the world.
This was evidenced by his popularity in Las Vegas, where he faced Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, two of the best boxers of his era. UK fans chanted “There’s only one Ricky Hatton” and it is said that they left Las Vegas without alcohol, an anecdote that is part of boxing history.
Hatton suffered his first professional defeat against Mayweather in 2007, and two years later, a knockout against Pacquiao marked the beginning of his decline in elite boxing.
An attempted comeback in 2012 against Vyacheslav Senchenko highlighted the difficulties Hatton faced after his retirement. In addition to his sporting career, Hatton was an advocate for mental health and collaborated with the charity Barnabus, which supports homeless and vulnerable people.
After participating in a non-scored exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, Hatton announced in July his return to the ring for a professional fight in Dubai in December.
