Thousands of people are expected to fill the streets of Greater Manchester as Ricky Hatton takes his last ride through the city he fought for, bled for and was proud of. The 18-kilometer procession will start at 9:45 a.m. from ul Cheshire Cheese Pub in Hydeone of Hatton’s senior haunts where pints once flowed as freely as his left hook.
The route will pass through places associated with his life and career – the gyms, pubs and roads that shaped ‘Hitman’ from a working-class kid into a world champion who catapulted Manchester into the boxing spotlight. Everything ends at Manchester Cathedralwhere a private memorial service will be held for family and close friends.
Ricky Hatton has never been the glamorous superstar type. It wasn’t made for velvet ropes or dainty tributes. He was Manchester to the core – cheeky, working class and true. And four days before his death at the age of 46, he said that what mattered most to him was to be remembered as “one of the boys.”
The man we knew Hitman was found dead at his home in Manchester on Sunday, September 14. The shock shook British boxing and beyond. He spent decades throwing hooks that shook arenas, and yet he had no desire for more belts or headlines. It was belonging – being loved like Frank Bruno, adored by his hometown and accepted by fans who saw themselves in him.
He added: “I’d rather be Ricky Hatton than the greatest of all time, but for everyone to think I’m a publicity head.” For a player who has amassed 22,000 in the MEN Arena and 30,000 in Las Vegas, that says it all. People remember me as a damn warrior, but also as one of the boys.
Fame never changed a mansion kid
Hatton told Barker that his life remained close to his roots even after the glory. “Life changed for me, my children and my family the moment I beat Kostya Tszyu. But I don’t think I’ve changed much. Even today, the gym I run and the house I have are just 10 minutes from the council estate I grew up on. I haven’t moved beyond a 10-mile radius.”
“Even with all the frosty things I’ve achieved through boxing, I still go to the local venue and play darts on a Monday night and play football for the vets on a Sunday afternoon. My mates now are still the same mates I went to school with, no delayed newbies, always the same mates.”
This stubborn loyalty – to pubs, friends, Manchester City and the same senior streets – was what fans felt. He was a hero who could walk into any pub and not have to buy beer. Kids who have never seen him fight live still stop him to take photos because they’ve seen the clips and got a sense of realism.
Fighting your own shadow, helping others in their shadows
Hatton has made no secret of life after his boxing injury. Losses to Mayweather and Pacquiao left scars and depression set in. But he didn’t want to stay down. He received lend a hand. He then used his pain to lend a hand others.
“I didn’t want to tell my friends or family, I didn’t want to worry them, so I kept it a secret,” he told Barker. “I went to the gym or the pub and I was the life of the party, even more than usual, because I was trying to compensate for what was going on inside me.
“Nobody knew and it was very challenging. I thought I could deal with it on my own, but I couldn’t. The best thing I did was realize that I could beat him, I could do this or that, but I couldn’t solve it on my own and I had to talk to someone and that’s the best thing I did.”
“You feel like you can talk to a stranger better than your family or friends. You don’t go out with boys – and I have good friends – but you don’t feel like that. I had a fight with my mom and dad, I broke up with my wife, and I didn’t want to worry the rest of the family. So you keep it inside, you keep it inside, and it festeres.”
Once he got lend a hand, Hatton used his experience to lend a hand others. “Some of my boxers tell me they paid off their mortgages and thank me. That’s what I mean,” he said. Letters arrived from people who heard his story and found hope. This gave him a purpose: “I’m glad I helped others.”
A warrior who never left us
Hatton didn’t want statues or sainthood. He wanted to be the boy from down the street who made it, but he never looked down on anyone. That’s a rarity in boxing – or anywhere else. And maybe that’s why the news of his death touched us so deeply.
He endured brutal nights, public defeats, private battles, and still found the strength to tell a bullied kid to keep his head down in the days before we left. If that’s not greatness, then what is?
Take it effortless, Ricky. You were one of us and you will always be one of the Boys.
Watch the full interview:
Amy Kaplan has been a boxing fan since she was 10, which means she’s spent most of her life explaining to people that, yes, she actually prefers fight nights to dinner. Now he writes for Boxing News 24 and covers everything from world title fights to prospects eyeing a payday. He combines pointed analysis with sarcasm, calling out boxing politics and cutting through the noise of press releases to bring fans the stories that really matter.
Tim Bradley believes a matchup between David Benavidez and Jai Opetaiathe two leading cruiserweights, is much less competitive than most would anticipate it being.
While nothing is set in stone, the pair have verbally agreed to collide on Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2027, with Benavidez seemingly willing to put his world titles on the line.
The ‘Mexican Monster’ became a three-division world champion in May, dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with a sixth-round stoppage for the WBO and WBA belts at 200lbs.
His next outing, meanwhile, is expected to be a unification match with WBC champion Michal Cieslak in December, when Opetaia could also return to action following his ninth-round stoppage of Noel Mikaelian last month.
The Australian has, in other words, been in talks to move up to heavyweight and face former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, potentially featuring on the Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua undercard at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
It remains to be seen whether this will actually take place on December 11, however, as Opetaia may instead look to preserve himself for a Benavidez showdown.
Speaking of which, Hall of Famer Bradley has told Ring Magazine that he maintains his belief that the 29-year-old would dominate the equally unbeaten Opetaia.
“Benavidez is going to motorboat his face with them punches and combinations, man. Okay, he’s been hurt [by previous opponents].
“But then what [does] he do? He finishes them; he destroys them. That’s what Benavidez does. Just because you get hurt don’t mean you weak.”
In terms of Benavidez showing signs of vulnerability, he has only ever been dropped by David Morrell and Ronald Gavril and, even then, these were more flash knockdowns than anything else.
Jaron Ennis is looking to capture the undisputed super-welterweight title within the next 12 months, and whilst many fans deem a potential bout against Sebastian Fundora to be his biggest obstacle, ‘Boots’ thinks his main concern is an alternate 154lb rival.
Ennis knocked out Xander Zayas to claim the WBA and WBO super-welterweight titles in a performance of the year candidate back at the Barclays Center in New York back in June, abandoning a possible super-fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr in order to pursue all four titles.
First, the Philadelphian seems poised to collide with IBF titleholder Josh Kelly, with that unification clash anticipated to take place in January in the United States.
The victor is then expected to meet with WBC titlist Fundora – who defended his world title with a final-second knockout triumph over Ermal Hadribeaj on Saturday – in mid-2027 in a battle to determine the second four-belt champion in the division’s history, after Jermell Charlo.
Yet, whilst stateside fans are currently debating whether the size of Fundora would be an issue for Ennis, ‘Boots’ told DAZN during the Fundora-Hadribeaj broadcast that he believes Kelly to be his toughest opponent in the super-welterweight division.
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Ennis-Kelly is close to being finalised for early Januarywith the State Farm Arena in Atlanta understood to be the most likely location for the event.
An in-demand showdown between Naoya Inoue and Jesse Rodriguez was beginning to look less likely, but there are now reports that a deal will be made for a new targeted date.
Following a career-best triumph over Junto Nakatani, Inoue was immediately mentioned for a clash with another pound-for-pound rival Rodriguez, who has since began his move up to super-bantamweight but has stopped off at bantamweight along the way.
At 118lbs, ‘Bam’ debuted with a knockout win against WBA titleholder Antonio Vargasbut wants one more outing in the division before heading to 122lbs, with a unification against WBO world champion Christian Medina being the most likely option.
In response, Inoue agreed to wait but set a deadline of March 2027 for their meeting, until suggestions of a fight in either April or May then caused Inoue to instead begin preparation for a move up to featherweight last week.
Yet, speaking with Ring MagazineRodriguez’s trainer Robert Garcia maintained confidence that a deal will be struck for Inoue vs Bam to take place in March.
“I think that Inoue is just playing it smart. I don’t think that he is backing out of the fight. We will make a deal for March.”
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