Boxing
Ricky Hatton funeral: Thousands mourn boxer in Manchester
Published
8 months agoon
Manchester will finally say goodbye to one of its most beloved sporting heroes when two-division world champion Ricky Hatton is laid to rest on Friday.
Hatton, a popular larger-than-life figure who unified the welterweight division and also won the world welterweight title, was found dead at the age of 46 at his home in Hyde on September 14.
The funeral procession will start at 9.45am BST from the Cheshire Cheese Pub – Hatton’s venue – and make its way to Manchester Cathedral, with thousands of people lining the streets to reflect on his life and times.
The procession includes stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, where he had some of his best nights, with the highlight undoubtedly being his victory over the celebrated Kostya Tszyu on a raucous evening 20 years ago to win his first world title.
After a private memorial service at noon, a memorial march will head to the Etihad Stadium, home of Hatton’s beloved Manchester City.
The news of Hatton’s death was announced just hours before the Manchester derby at Eastlands Stadium, and just before kick-off, City and United players and fans reacted with a minute’s applause.
It was just one of countless tributes paid to “Hitman”, including from former world heavyweight champions Frank Bruno, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, fellow Briton Amir Khan, venerable foe Manny Pacquiao and Hatton’s hero Roberto Duran.
Hatton’s action-packed style earned him 45 wins and three losses in 48 contests, but it was his down-to-earth demeanor that particularly endeared him to fellow professionals and fans around the world.
Proof of this was the tens of thousands who followed him to Las Vegas, where he fought two of the best pound-for-pound fighters of his era, Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao, and stories of British fans chanting “there’s only one Ricky Hatton” and drinking Sin City became boxing folklore.
Hatton suffered his first professional defeat when he was stopped by Mayweather in 2007, and a brutal second-round knockout by Pacquiao two years later hastened his decline from top-level boxing.
A failed comeback attempt against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 was the first public admission that Hatton was struggling to cope in retirement.
He was a tireless ambassador for mental health charities, as well as Manchester-based Barnabus, which supports homeless and vulnerable people, and in a bid to fill the void, he became a successful trainer.
After participating in a scoreless match against Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, Hatton announced in July that he would return to the ring in a professional fight in Dubai in December.
He returned to training and his family said he was “in a good place” and “excited about the future” before his death, in what Greater Manchester Police said were no suspicious circumstances.
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Boxing
Tim Bradley explains why Lamont Roach can beat William Zepeda
Published
1 hour agoon
June 13, 2026
Bradley says Roach’s experience against pressure players and southpaws will give him an advantage on August 1
Tim Bradley thinks Lamont Roach Jr. he is the player best placed to make William Zepeda lose. In a speech on his YouTube channel, Bradley selected Roach as the winner of the vacant WBC lightweight title on August 1 and cited the fight’s stylistic advantages as a key factor.
“I’m picking Roach to win this fight,” Bradley said on his channel. “I think it’s a perfect match in style. I think Roach fights southpaws better than orthodox fighters.”
Roach comes into the fight coming off a draw with Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and a contentious draw with Gervonta Davis, as well as two physically demanding fights against high-pressure fighters that Bradley says has prepared him for Zepeda’s relentless approach.
“I think he fought one of the best southpaws in the world in Tank Davis. And he did damn well against him,” Bradley said. “He wasn’t scared by the force of the impact.”
Bradley believes Roach has the tools needed to neutralize Zepeda’s pressure.
“When guys who like to get forward and be aggressive, nine times out of 10 they don’t like being tackled,” Bradley said. “Roach has the ability to do it. He has the knowledge and the IQ to be able to do it. And if he does it, he will win this fight.”
Bradley also cautioned that Roach cannot afford to leave matters in the judges’ hands, arguing that he needs to create more separation than in recent draws with Isaac Cruz and Gervonta Davis.

Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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Last update: 2026/06/13 at 14:20
Boxing
Roy Jones Jr Says He’ll Return to Fighting One Fighter If He Gets an Eight-Figure Salary: ‘It’ll Make Me Prepare’
Published
3 hours agoon
June 13, 2026
Roy Jones Jr has announced his price and is demanding an eight-figure purse if he is to make it through the ropes.
At his peak, the American became one of the best players to ever grace the sport, and his breathtaking speed and overall physical prowess made him seem almost unbeatable.
After winning world titles at middleweight, super middleweight and airy heavyweight, Jones even moved up to heavyweight and dethroned John Ruiz to win the WBA belt in 2003.
The pound-for-pound legend retired in 2018, when many thought his best days were behind him, only to take it to the next level exhibition match with Mike Tyson in 2020
Although it was a non-contest, many believed that Tyson outplayed Jones, who then returned professionally against Anthony Pettis and lost an eight-round decision to the former UFC champion in 2023.
Since then, the 57-year-old has remained on the safer side of the competition, but is now eyeing another comeback, this time against Misfits boxer Tommy Fury.
Having delved into the power side of the sport following previous professional victories over Jake Paul and KSI, Fury is now preparing to face former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall.
I’m talking to Betting showroomJones said he would only be willing to challenge the 27-year-old if he was handsomely rewarded for his troubles.
“Is me vs. Tommy Fury dead? Nothing is dead forever. Roy Jones is still alive. Tommy Fury is still alive. Who knows? For the right money, it would make me go to the gym to get ready.”
“If they give me $10 million of course. Ten and more, yes. If they don’t give me $10 million and more, then no, I’m not wasting my time.”
Fury’s six-round exhibition match with Hall will take place later today at the Manchester Arena, although the result will not affect his professional record of 11-0 (4 KO).
“There are a confined number of fights and he can’t fight every fighter. So why don’t you consider that [Iglesias and Sheeraz] think about who wants to be at the front of the line,” Kellerman said on InsideRingShow.
Kellerman rejected the idea that Canelo was firing any of the fighters.
“He’s not saying he’s ignoring Sheeraz and Iglesias. In fact, he just gave them a path. He said, ‘I’m fighting Mbilli.’ You are fighting each other. This is not a duck. This is about business,” Kellerman said.
Sheeraz has already made it clear that he has no interest in following the route proposed by Canelo. Responding to a suggestion from an earlier interview, the British fighter said he respected Alvarez but would not allow another boxer to dictate his career decisions.
A fight between Sheeraz and Iglesias could answer many of the remaining questions about both men.
Canelo is preparing to fight Mbilli, a fighter widely viewed as one of the most threatening fighters in the division due to his constant pressure and furious attacks. Meanwhile, Sheeraz has had two fights since moving up to 168 pounds, a fight against Edgar Berlanga, who he stopped in July 2025 after Canelo had already beaten him a year earlier, and 39-year-old Al Begic for the vacant WBO title.
A fight between Sheeraz and Iglesias could eliminate many of the questions that still haunt both men. Sheeraz would have the opportunity to silence critics who believe his super middleweight resume is slim, while Iglesias could reaffirm a growing reputation that has led some fans to consider him the division’s boogeyman.
The winner would pose a bigger and more marketable challenge. Instead of facing Sheeraz immediately after his victory over Begic, Alvarez could face an opponent who had a decisive victory over another world champion, adding more significance to what could be one of the final marquee fights of his career.
Max Kellerman reacts to Canelo Álvarez’s comments about Hamzah Sheeraz and Osleys Iglesias 👀#InsideTheRing | The latest episode LIVE NOW on YouTube The Ring 📺 pic.twitter.com/tfOhDtjgit
— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) June 12, 2026
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most essential fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
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