Boxing
Ricky Hatton’s end heart – being “one of the boys”
Published
7 months agoon
Ricky Hatton has never been a polished type of star. It was not created for velvet ropes or supple tributes. He was a manchester to the bone-loyal, steadfast working class. And four days before his death at the age of 46, he said, most importantly for him, he wanted to be remembered as “one of the boys.”
The man we knew Hitman He was found dead at his house in Manchester on Sunday, September 14. The shock was broken by British boxing and more. He spent decades, throwing hooks that made the arenas shake, but what he wanted was no more belts or headers. It belonged – beloved like Frank Bruno, loved by his own city and accepted by fans who saw him.
“I was a man of the people”
Talking to the former world champion Darren Barker in what became his last intelligence, Hatton put it. “I am very proud when people say” our honestly “and” Our Ricky, “he said. “I am not saying that we were the best, but we were probably the two most loved. I was a man of people, Jack-Te-Lad, a boy from a day who could not give two s **** and say as it is.
He added: “I would prefer to be Ricky Hatton than the greatest in history, but everyone thinks I’m advertising.” For a warrior who packed 22,000 on the men’s arena and 30,000 in Las Vegas, he says it all. People remember me as a hell warrior, but also one of the boys. “
Fame has never changed the kid from the property
Hatton told Barker that his life remained close to his roots even after glory. “Life has changed for me, my children and my family when I defeated Kostya Teszyu. But I don’t think I changed too much. Even today, the salary I lead, and the house I have is only 10 minutes from the council’s assets.
“Even with all the frigid things that I achieved through boxing, I still go to local and play darts on Monday evening and play football for veterinarians on Sunday afternoon. My colleagues are now the same colleagues with whom I went to school, without slow newcomers, always the same colleagues.”
This stubborn loyalty – towards pubs, partners, to Manchester City, to the same venerable streets – was what the fans felt. He was a hero who could enter every pub and did not have to buy a mug. Children who have never seen how he fights live, still stop him for photos because they saw clips and sensed reality.
Fighting with your own shadows, helping others with them
Hatton did not hide this life after boxing. Losses for Mayweather and Pacquiao left scars and then depression. But he refused to stay. He got aid. Then he used his pain to aid others.
“I didn’t want to tell my colleagues or family, I didn’t want to worry them, so I kept it,” he told Barker. “I entered the gym or in a pub and I was the life and soul of the party, even more than normal, because I tried to excessively compensate for what was happening in me.
“Nobody knew and it was very arduous. I thought I could sort it, but I couldn’t. The best thing I did was that I realized that I could beat him or him, I could do it or do it, but I couldn’t sort it myself and I had to talk to someone and the best thing I did.
“You feel that you can talk to a stranger better than your family or friends. You don’t go to boys – and I have good colleagues – but you don’t feel like that. I did with my mother and dad and I split with my Missus and I didn’t want to worry about the rest of the family. So you keep it and I didn’t hold it.”
After obtaining aid, Hatton used his experience to aid others. “Some of my boxers tell me that they repaid their mortgages and thanked me – that’s what it is about,” he said. Letters came from people who heard his story and found hope. This gave him the goal: “It makes me feel good that I helped others.”
A warrior who never left us
Hatton did not want statues or saint. He wanted to be a boy from the street who made him huge, but he never looked at anyone. It’s uncommon in boxing – or anywhere. Or maybe that’s why the news of his death crosses so deeply.
He survived brutal nights, public defeats, private battles, and he still found strength to tell an intimidated child to keep his chin a few days before leaving. If this is not the size, what is it?
Rest straightforward, Ricky. You were one of us – and you will always be one of the boys.
Watch a full interview:
Amy Kaplan is a box of boxing since she was 10 years venerable, 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.
Last updated 09/30/2025
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Ramirez, 33, said that while he still wants to continue his career for now, he is already thinking about how his career will end, not how long it can be extended. Ramirez said he has achieved key goals in the sport, including becoming world champion in two divisions, but still wants to perform at the highest level before he retires.
That pursuit begins with Benavidez, a fight that Ramirez believes will define his status and push his name further to the top of the sport.
“I will beat him. That’s my plan, to fight Opetaia,” said Gilberto about his desire to fight former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
It’s a shoot-for-the-stars plan for Ramirez, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight Opetaia. The biggest obstacle is not only the fight itself, but also where Jai Opetaia currently sits. Jai is now the face of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
At the same time, Ramirez hinted at one last twist before his retirement. When asked about moving up again, he left the door open to a possible heavyweight fight, even admitting that he may not be the biggest fighter in the division.
“Why not?” Ramirez talked about moving up to heavyweight. “That would be amazing.”
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Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most crucial fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Boxing
Eddie Hearn expects Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 fight to be canceled and replaced with world title fight
Published
3 hours agoon
April 28, 2026
The final decision may come after the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch drama ends.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to fight professionally more than 10 years after their first meeting, with the event streaming live on Netflix and taking place on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
In recent weeks the duel was in doubt, after Mayweather stated that the fight would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist that it must be a fully sanctioned fight.
Since it is currently unknown whether this will actually come to fruition, this has probably given the clearest signal that this will no longer happen.
Conversation with FightHypepromoter Eddie Hearn said he thinks Netflix can now focus on the WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“It’s all a mess. I’m surprised Netflix got into this whole circus… Netflix is modern to boxing, but they need to be a little more solid in the routine because you can’t actually call the fight and it just falls by the wayside and it just doesn’t look great.”
“NO [I don’t believe it will happen]not now. Netflix is only going to do so many fights and the Benn-Garcia fight is now said to be on September 12 or whenever that happens, so obviously this is the fight to replace Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If it happened Mayweather-Pacquiao, they are committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen they will want another fight and from the sound of it it will be Garcia vs. Benn.”
The world title fight between Garcia and Benn has been widely discussed this month, and if Hearn is right, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting again.
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Inoue’s reluctance to make the jump to 126 pounds at featherweight may be the most truthful admission of his physical limitations.
Inoue has fought fighters who hydrated to be hefty, but Nakatani is elevated. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents end up with confined time as they have to rush to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit outside and throw a punch without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers support this belief on paper. Nakatani will enter with a three-inch height advantage, a slight reach advantage and a five-year age difference. He also has natural size from climbing three weight classes, which he plans to exploit for the full distance rather than chasing an early finish.
“This fight will 100% be a war and I think I will win by decision once I overcome everything Inoue throws at me,” Nakatani said.
In his December victory over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a fierce fight in which both men landed heavily, taking 273 punches in a back-and-forth fight that went the distance. He showed toughness, but also suggested he could get hit when exchanges open up.
It’s not that Inoue is afraid of fighting a bigger opponent, but more that he is a perfectionist who knows that when you lose your physical advantage, you have to rely completely on your endurance. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who can actually make Inoue look petite in the ring.
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