Thousands bid farewell to Ricky Hatton: Boxer’s funeral moved Manchester

Sports and Music Figures Bid Farewell to Ricky Hatton

Prominent figures from the world of sports and music gathered at Manchester Cathedral on Friday for the funeral of former two-division world boxing champion Ricky Hatton. Hatton, known for his charisma and popularity, unified the super lightweight division and also conquered a welterweight world title. He was found dead at 46 years old in his home in Hyde on September 14th. The funeral procession, which began at the Cheshire Cheese pub, Hatton’s usual haunt, was led by the famous Reliant Robin van 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 cortege made stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, where he lived some of his most glorious moments, highlighting his victory over Kostya Tszyu 20 years ago, which earned him his first world title. Thousands gathered in the streets to pay tribute to Hatton, while a private memorial service was held in the cathedral.

Liam Gallagher, Oasis frontman and close friend of Hatton, who accompanied him in his ring entrance on one occasion against Paulie Malignaggi in 2008, was present at the event.

Also in attendance were prominent figures from British boxing, including Tyson Fury, Tony Bellew, and Frank Bruno, as well as former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff, and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney. Another attendee was Billy Graham, Hatton’s former trainer, with whom he maintained a close relationship from his beginnings in amateur boxing to the top.

After the service, the procession headed to the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, a team Hatton was a fan of. The news of Hatton’s death was announced hours before the Manchester derby, where a minute of applause was held in his honor by the players and fans of both teams. Hatton’s fighting style earned him 45 wins and three losses in 48 fights, but it was his personality that made him loved by fans around the world. This was evident in Las Vegas, where he fought against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, considered the best boxers of their time. The stories of UK fans chanting “There’s only one Ricky Hatton” and celebrating in the city became boxing legend. Hatton suffered his first professional defeat against Mayweather in 2007, and a knockout against Pacquiao two years later marked the beginning of his decline in elite boxing. A failed attempt to return against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 revealed Hatton’s difficulties in his retirement. In addition, he was a tireless ambassador for mental health charities and Barnabus, which supports the homeless and vulnerable. He also dabbled as a coach to fill the void. 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. He had resumed his training and his family stated he was “in a good place” and “excited for the future” before his passing. Greater Manchester Police stated there were no suspicious circumstances.