Ricky Hatton’s sudden death hit fans, but no one is complex than his longtime manager and colleague Paul. Almost three decades together – belts, Vegas lights, drinking history, return, falls – and says the one who entered this house and found it.
The day when everything went quietly
Speak was aimed at bringing Ricky to the airport on a flight to Dubai. Instead, he entered the silence.
“There was no lithe, which, I thought, was strange. I thought he overwhelmed, but it was not unusual. People planted,” said Speak.
“So I went inside – I have a key – shouting:” Rick, Rick, wake up! “I heard the music come from the top, so I went upstairs … I looked at him … I had to spend some time to transform it.”
Then he came when no one should face.
“I was in a state of shock, confusion and loss and many other emotions. Then I called the police and ambulance.”
“Ricky had plans, not a way out”
Speak is clear about one thing – he was not a man who wants to check.
“I strongly believe that he did not intend to do it. It is for a coroner to determine, but he had everything you could live for.”
Ricky had plans arranged in a pile.
“He organized his daughters to see Oasis next week. He planned to go to Thailand for the WBC convention and vacation after his fight. He just reserved a flight to Tenerife for Christmas.
His daughter never saw him box, so he was excited about it. So many things he could live for – he was in a really good place. “
It wasn’t broken by Ricky for a decade ago. He was a man trying to live again.
Garbage cleaning and setting the record straight
Paul was fed up with gossip.
“I want to draw the truth, otherwise people just speculate. There was a lot of rubbish about Ricky and his parents, but he saw his mother last week; he laughed her great love. After returning from Dubai.”
And he saw the darkest days earlier.
“If it were 10 years ago, it wouldn’t be as great as it was. I was from Ricky to the highest mountains in boxing to the lowest abyss in life.”
Ricky Hatton – always one of ours
Ricky was a pub boy from Manchester who hit the top. He gave us Kostya Tziu, these wild nights Vegas against Mayweather and Pacquiao and the army of fans singing “Blue Moon” louder than any arena. And he showed us a disaster after fame: depression, loneliness, addiction. He didn’t hide it. He said it.
That is why the fans loved him – he was real. One of ours, and he will always be. Ricky Hatton was not perfect – and that’s why he meant so much. A fighter who could lithe a man on Saturday evening and continue to finish in the Sunday morning of Bozer, laughing with the boys.
When the mugs hit the table and the smoke hangs in the air, there is only one reference that suits a man like a hatton. No suits, no speeches. Only guys, arm to shoulder, abrasive voices of beer and love:
“There is only one Ricky Hatton … one Ricky Hatton … goes on, singing a song, walking to the land of Hatton Wonders.”
In this way, you respect the guy who gave us nights, knockout, broken heart and laughter. The fighter who climbed the pubs to world titles, and then returned as if he never left. True. Defective. Arduous. He was ours. It will always be.
Ricky Hatton’s most crucial career attractions
Professional debut: September 1997, Manchester
The first title is registered: British lithe belt in 2000
Ring magazine and line master: Earned after the victory of Tsyzyu
WBA Lithe-Welterweight Champion: Defeated Carlos in taste (November 2005) to unify IBF and WBA
He moved to a welterweight: Defeat Luis Collazo (2006) for the WBA title
Return to lightweight: Won IBO title vs Juan Uango (2007)
Las Vegas Nights:
Lost Floyd Mayweather Jr. (December 2007, TKO 10) – a huge takeover of British fans in Vegas
Defeat Paulie Malignaggi (November 2008, WHO 11)
Lost Manny Pacquiao (May 2009, I 2)
Return to fight: 2012 vs vyacheslav senchenko (Lost, Body Shot Ko) – Final Professional Bout
Career record:45 wins, 3 losses, 32 KO
Amy Kaplan is a box of boxing since she was 10 years ancient, which means that she spent most of her life, explaining to people that yes, they really prefer nights of fighting at parties. Now, writing to Boxing News 24, it covers everything from the fight for the title of world champion to perspectives swinging as at the day of payment. It combines acute analysis with sarcasm, calling for boxing policy and crossing the spin with the release of the press to give fans stories that actually matter.
Paulie Malignaggi has offered his reaction to a reported clash between Shakur Stevenson and Manny Pacquiaowhich could feature on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua.
The all-British heavyweight showdown is expected to take place on December 11, headlining an event at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
That is, of course, if Fury and Joshua actually make it to the ring, as despite it being announced earlier this week, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger has since reported that their fight is in jeopardy.
Prior to that, it had emerged that an encounter between Stevenson and Pacquiao – between whom there is a near two-decade age gap – was being planned for the same night in Wales.
Should it come to fruition, this would represent Stevenson’s first outing since signing with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, who he joined after dethroning Teofimo Lopez with a unanimous decision victory in January.
Pacquiao, meanwhile, has not fought since his draw with Mario Barrios in July 2025, when he ended a near four-year layoff and almost claimed the WBC welterweight title.
Yet despite that surprisingly impressive performance, former world champion Malignaggi has emphasised on his YouTube channel that, against Stevenson, the 47-year-old would be facing an entirely different competitor.
“Manny Pacquiao-Shakur Stevenson has no place on this card; [it] has no place in big-time boxing. I am completely befuddled.
“[I’m] disappointed in Stevenson; [I’m] disappointed in Zuffa, obviously. These are ‘click bait’ type of fights. These are names that draw attention, so you can get people to watch. Then the fight’s a dud and all these casuals sit there complaining about boxing, telling you why boxing’s dead.”
Malignaggi went on to credit Pacquiao with being “competitive against the worst world champion I’ve ever seen in my life”, emphasising a considerable difference between Barrios and Stevenson.
World Boxing News provides a round-by-round scorecard as Johnny Fisher faces Michael Pirotton at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Fisher and Pirotton collide over ten rounds at heavyweight as Zuffa Boxing stages its latest card in the United Kingdom.
The Romford Bull returns to action with Pirotton standing in his way as the British heavyweight looks to continue his climb.
WBN provides a live scorecard of the contest below, plus live results throughout the event.
Fisher vs Pirotton Scorecard
Johnny Fisher vs Michael Pirotton
(Round-by-round scorecard will refresh every 2 mins)
Heavyweight Copper Box Arena, London 10×3
Round
Fisher
Pirotton
Round 1
10
9
Round 2
10
9
Round 3
9
10
Round 4
9
10
Round 5
10
9
Round 6
10
9
Round 7
10
9
Round 8
10
9
Round 9
10
9
Round 10
10
9
WBN Totals:
98
92
Official Result: FISHER MD – 98-92, 96-95, 95-95
Zuffa Boxing
Preview
Fisher faces Pirotton in the first fight of his lucrative deal with Dana White and Zuffa Boxing.
The Briton enters the contest with a 14-1 record, while Pirotton brings a 12-2 record into the Zuffa Boxing 11 bout.
The event is available live on Sky in the United Kingdom and Paramount+.
The Fisher vs Pirotton event unfolds alongside more live coverage on World Boxing News.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
World Boxing News provides results and updates as Johnny Fisher faces Michael Pirotton on Zuffa Boxing 11 at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Fisher returns to heavyweight action over ten rounds against Pirotton as part of Zuffa Boxing’s latest event in the United Kingdom.
Craig Richards faces Radivoje Kalajdzic at light heavyweight, while Lee Cutler takes on Louis Greene and Cesar Mateo Tapia faces Leo Ruiz at middleweight.
WBN provides results and updates from every bout as they happen.
Results
All times are local BST.
23:41
Johnny Fisher defeated Michael Pirotton by majority decision after ten competitive heavyweight rounds at the Copper Box Arena. WBN scored the fight 98-92 for Fisherwhile the official judges returned scores of 98-92 and 96-95 for Fisher, with the third scoring it 95-95.
22:42
Radivoje Kalajdzic improved to 31-3 with a unanimous decision over Craig Richards, who dropped to 20-5-1 after a good ten-round scrap. Both men had their moments and hurt each other at times before “Hot Rod” got the verdict on the scorecards, which included knocking Richards down for the first time in his career.
21:43
Lee Cutler carded a unanimous decision win over Louis Greene in their ten-round middleweight clash. Judges scorecard 98-92 and 97-93 twice in favor on Cutler, who improves to 17-2.
20:52
Ahead of the three main bouts, Zuffa’s only female fighter, Kayla Allendefeated Edina Kiss via TKO in their super lightweight bout.
20:32
Leo Ruiz overcame Cesar Tapia over 10 rounds at middleweight, scoring a unanimous decision to move to 18-1 as Ruiz Tapia suffered a first loss.
19:29
Alex MacMillan moved to 5-0 with a second-round stoppage of Guillaume Azagier, who went down twice in the opening round and again before the finish at 0:32 of the second.
18:40
Rogelio Romero improved to 7-0 with a third-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Aurel Ignat, ending the cruiserweight contest at 2:12.
18:24
Alexis De la Cerda improved to 10-0 with a unanimous decision over Cain Lewis, taking the eight-round contest 80-72, 79-74 and 79-73.
17:42
Fred Pullen marked his professional debut with a four-round points victory over Leonardo Faretina, who was dropped in the second round.
Remaining Bouts
Johnny Fisher vs. Michael Pirotton — 10 rounds, heavyweight
Craig Richards vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic — 10 rounds, light heavyweight
TV Coverage
The event is available live on Sky in the United Kingdom and Paramount+.
Follow WBN’s live boxing coverage throughout the event.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
