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.
Terence Crawford believes one man will follow in his footsteps and retire as an unbeaten world champion, essentially becoming a generational great in the process.
‘Bud’ became not only a world champion but a three-division undisputed king, ending his career with a legacy-defining unanimous decision triumph over Canelo Alvarez.
Even before that, Crawford was considered an elite pound-for-pound operator for over a decade, with many believing his most complete performance came against Errol Spence Jr in 2023.
But while the American is perhaps in a class of his own, he nonetheless believes that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson can achieve a similar degree of success.
The 29-year-old claimed a career-best victory in January, losing just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez with a masterful unanimous decision victory.
Having now signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, though, it remains to be seen whether he defends his WBO super-lightweight title or pursues opportunities elsewhere.
Either way, Crawford has told Fight Hub TV that Stevenson has the mental and physical attributes to remain unbeaten at the highest level.
“I think Shakur [will take over]for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart]takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym. [Is he beatable?] Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.”
Since inking a promotional deal with Zuffa, Stevenson has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as two potential opponents who would cement his greatness.
The slick southpaw could therefore compete anywhere between lightweight and 147lbs, depending on which division offers the most realistic opportunities.
Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.
Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.
The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.
Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.
Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.
“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.
It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.
“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”
Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.
Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.
Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.
Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.
Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.
Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.
“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”
Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through.
Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) July 25, 2026
The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.
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