Sports and Music Figures Pay Tribute to Ricky Hatton at His Funeral
The world of sports and entertainment came together on Friday at Manchester Cathedral to bid farewell to former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton. The ceremony was attended by prominent figures, including Liam Gallagher, Tyson Fury, and Wayne Rooney.
Hatton, known for his charisma and achievements in the ring, unified the super-lightweight division and conquered the welterweight world title. He was found dead at his home in Hyde at the age of 46 on September 14th.
The funeral procession began at the Cheshire Cheese pub, a place frequented by Hatton, and was led by the famous Reliant Robin from the series “Only Fools and Horses”, a vehicle of which Hatton was a great admirer.
The funeral cortege included stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, the scene of his greatest triumphs, highlighting his victory over Kostya Tszyu two decades ago, where he won his first world title. Thousands of people gathered in the streets to pay tribute to Hatton, before the private ceremony at the city cathedral.Among the attendees was Liam Gallagher, a close friend of Hatton, who accompanied him in his entrance to the ring in 2008.
Also present were prominent figures from British boxing, such as Fury, Tony Bellew and Frank Bruno, as well as former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff, and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.After the service, the entourage headed to the Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City, Hatton’s favorite team.
The news of Hatton’s death was announced hours before the Manchester derby, where a minute of applause was held in his memory by players and fans of both teams.
Hatton’s fighting style earned him 45 wins and only 3 losses in 48 fights, but it was his approachable personality that made him loved by colleagues and fans worldwide.
This was evident in Las Vegas, where he fought against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, and where British fans sang chants in his honor.
Hatton suffered his first professional defeat against Mayweather in 2007, and a knockout against Pacquiao in 2009 precipitated his decline. A failed comeback attempt against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 marked his difficulty in adapting to retirement.
He was a tireless ambassador for mental health charities and Barnabus, which supports the homeless. He tried to fill the void by becoming a successful coach.
After participating in an exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, Hatton announced that he would return to the ring in Dubai in December. He had resumed training and his family affirmed that he was “in a good moment” and “excited for the future” before his death.
