An inquest into the death of British boxing legend Ricky Hatton will begin on Thursday morning, just over a month after his death at the age of 46. On September 14, the body of the former world champion was found at his residence in Hyde, Greater Manchester, which sent a wave of shock through the sports community.

His funeral then took place on Friday, with thousands of mourners gathering in the streets of Manchester and many celebrities attending the service in the cathedral. A month after the tragedy, there is narrow information available about what happened to Hatton, and the cause of his death remains undisclosed to the public.

Nevertheless, further details about his death will be released on Thursday when police – who do not suspect any criminal activity – referred the case to the coroner. The inquest is formally scheduled to open at South Manchester Coroner’s Court in Stockport on Thursday at 9am and will be held before Senior County Coroner Alison Mutch.

An inquest is opened by coroners if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a death was caused by circumstances other than natural causes. Although there is no exact legal definition of a “natural” cause of death, it is generally defined as “death caused by disease in its full course, without other confounding factors.”

The opening of an inquest is a tiny administrative hearing during which the coroner formally begins an investigation into the death. The coroner will then verify the identity of the deceased and provide a medical cause of death, if determined, and may also determine the underlying circumstances of death.

The coroner will then decide whether a full inquest is necessary and adjourn the hearing to a later date for a re-hearing or final hearing. A timetable is then established for the next stages of the investigation – including collecting statements and witness reports – as well as planning any necessary future interviews.

Hatton spoke candidly about his struggles with mental health, and his 13-year-old daughter Millie gave a devastating eulogy at his funeral in which she pleaded with him: “Why didn’t you reach out?” Speaking during a service to worshipers at Manchester Cathedral, she said: “I can’t assist but think that you will never walk me down the aisle, that you will never meet my children and grandchildren, that you will not be here to see me leave school or even see me grow up.

“Why did you feel like that? Why didn’t you tell me exactly how you felt? I really hope you never think you let me down because I would never think that. I love and miss you unconditionally.”

Paul Speak, Hatton’s friend and long-time manager, was the one who found the 46-year-old’s body at his Manchester residence when he arrived to escort him to the airport. Initially believing that the former boxing champion had simply overslept, it was only when he climbed the stairs that he discovered the tragic truth.

“The lights weren’t on, which I thought was strange,” he told Boxing News: “I thought he had overslept, but that’s not unusual. People actually overslept. So I went in – I’ve got the key – shouting, ‘Rick, Rick, wake up!’ I heard music coming from upstairs so I went upstairs… I looked him over… I had to take some time to process it.

“I was in shock, confusion, loss and many other emotions,” he added. “I then called the police and an ambulance. But I firmly believe he had no intention of doing that. It’s up to the coroner to determine that, but he had something to live for.

“He has arranged to take his daughters to the Oasis show next week. He was planning to go to Thailand for the WBC convention and holiday after his fight. He has just booked a flight to Tenerife for Christmas. I want to know the truth, otherwise people will just speculate.”