Ricky Hatton lived his entire life in Manchester.
In the wake of Ricky Hatton’s passing, life continues as usual at the Cheshire Cheese pub in Gee Cross, one of the boxer’s frequented establishments, where regulars share memories over drinks. It is a scene that would undoubtedly resonate with Hatton’s own spirit.
Just a short distance away lies The Heartbreak, Hatton’s gated residence befitting a champion. The name, a nod to Elvis Presley’s iconic “Heartbreak Hotel,” reflects Hatton’s appreciation for the King.
Fans and friends have been paying their respects, leaving flowers and mementos. Manchester City shirts, boxing gloves, the occasional can of Guinness, and “Only Fools and Horses” memorabilia – a testament to Hatton’s fondness for the show and his ownership of a three-wheeled van – are among the tokens of appreciation.
Among those paying tribute are Trev and his wife, Sue. Trev, originally from Gloucester, moved to the area during Hatton’s prime.
He often encountered ‘The Hitman’ in local pubs after his retirement and recalls Hatton’s support in raising funds for a charity benefiting Sue’s late son, who had battled cancer.
“I wasn’t from here, but he showed me what it takes to be a Mancunian,” Trev shared.
“He should be known as the saint of Manchester.”
Hatton’s influence extended far beyond his hometown, yet his unwavering connection to his roots is precisely why he garnered such widespread admiration.
Raised on a Hattersley council estate, he remained a local figure until his untimely passing at the age of 46.
The two-weight world champion, regarded by many as Manchester’s greatest fighter, elevated his city’s profile on the global boxing stage.
Hatton became an icon for Hyde and Tameside, transcending local boundaries to achieve national and international stardom.
These are just some of the reasons why thousands of people lined the streets of Greater Manchester to celebrate the life and bid farewell to Richard John Hatton – an icon of the north-west.
From the Cheshire Cheese to Manchester Cathedral, where his funeral was held, fans of Hatton the fighter and Hatton the man gathered along the route for his final journey.
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Hatton made his pro debut in 1997 aged 18 years old
The late Paul Dunne, then coaching at Sale West ABC in the 1990s, proclaimed one Friday night at the Lively Lobster pub in Ashton upon Mersey that a future world champion had joined his boxing club.
Hatton had recently moved to Sale West, but he had begun boxing closer to home in Hyde, at the Louvolite Gym – now Hyde and District ABC – under the guidance of the late Ted Peake.
Boxing reporter Steve Lillis recalls evenings at The Junction Inn in Ashton-under-Lyne. With a Hatton relative running the pub, his name was frequently mentioned as he progressed through the amateur ranks.
Lillis, along with now BBC 5 Live boxing voice Steve Bunce, traveled to Birmingham to witness Hatton’s ABA title victory in 1997.
“It was like a spaceship taking off into orbit,” Lillis, who covered almost every one of Hatton’s professional fights, said.
“From that moment on, we knew we were on an incredible journey.”
However, Hatton’s rise to prominence was not instantaneous.
“He had his first fight in Widnes and he sold three or four tickets,” said Frank Warren, the promoter who guided Hatton from his professional debut to the IBF light-welterweight title.
Paul Speak served as Hatton’s long-time manager, confidant, and media liaison.
“When Rick was boxing, social media didn’t exist, so you couldn’t build a profile that way,” Speak explained.
“It was all word of mouth. Ricky and his father, Ray, would leave tickets at local pubs, and the landlord would sell them, earning a free ticket for their efforts.”
Hatton shared fight cards with other prominent Manchester boxers such as Anthony Farnell and Michael Gomez, which helped raise his profile.
“Ricky kept winning, and the fans of the other fighters jumped on his bandwagon,” Warren noted.
Hatton won world titles at welterweight and light-welterweight.
The rock band Oasis, whom Hatton admired and later befriended, were solidifying Manchester’s reputation as a global music hub.
Manchester United dominated English football.
Hatton contributed in the ring and provided Manchester City supporters with something to celebrate as their team struggled in the shadow of the Red Devils.
In the city center, a new venue opened, hosting a Torvill and Dean performance on its inaugural night.
“It was fortunate that they built the Manchester Arena when they did,” Speak said of the indoor venue that opened in 1995.
Hatton fought there 15 times as a professional. “It would become his fortress,” Speak added.
By the time Hatton fought Kostya Tszyu in 2005, he was selling out the arena.
Hatton defeated Tszyu, who was considered the world’s best light-welterweight, to win the IBF title.
Danny Jackson, a close friend of Hatton and Manchester City’s matchday announcer, delivered a heartfelt speech in memory of his friend at the recent City-United derby.
He credits Hatton with bringing his beloved football club – now a global powerhouse – into the spotlight.
“If you look at Rick’s time as a boxer, there wasn’t a lot to like about City then,” Jackson said.
“Rick was a bit of a shining light in that period. He got City’s brand out there to millions of people.”
Retired world champion Anthony Crolla described the Tszyu fight as “one of the greatest nights Manchester has ever had in any sport.”
The following day, Hatton gathered at the New Inn in Hyde for a regular celebration – nicknamed the not-so-nice shirt nights.
“He didn’t want to swan off to celebrity hotspots; he wanted to be around his mates and having a laugh,” Jackson said.
Paul Smith, a Liverpool world title challenger who trained with Hatton, recalls a fancy dress party where Hatton dressed as ‘Ginger Spice’ Geri Halliwell.
Those kinds of images resonated with the people of Manchester, reinforcing the notion that he was one of them.
That never changed. This summer, Hatton joined a friend’s stag do in Portugal.
They tricked him into wearing dissolvable swimming shorts in the pool.
“There were a group of lads there from Leeds by the pool idolising him and they were saying ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this to a superstar’,” Jackson said.
“He took the stick, he gave the stick, just a normal guy.”
Ricky Hatton: A Tribute
Hatton had fans from across Manchester despite making his City allegiance clear for all to see
One might argue that Hatton ‘united’ Manchester. However, as a lifelong City supporter, Hatton might have preferred to say that he brought the city together.
Even with his strong ties to City, United fans passionately followed him. They often cheered and sang along when he entered the ring to “Blue Moon” in City’s colors.
“For one night only,” Speak said. “It was a bit like the First World War when they played football on Christmas Day.”
The setting aside of football rivalries showed what Hatton meant to the whole of Manchester.
Nevertheless, Hatton remained steadfast in his own allegiance.
“It was a special relationship between the club and a special person, who showed everyone what Manchester had to offer,” said former Manchester City striker Jon Macken, who played for the club during Hatton’s prime.
“[Kevin] Keegan loved him and wanted him around. The players loved to talk to him, get a story off him back then.”
News of Hatton’s death surfaced on the morning of the Manchester derby on 14 September. Both sets of fans honored him at the Etihad Stadium.
“Nowadays, the Mancunian ones like Phil [Foden], they knew him and knew what he was,” Macken said.
“Phil went up to his house to leave the tribute from the club and he went to see his mum and dad. The club always wanted him around.”
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Hatton based his professional career at Betta Bodies gym in Denton after beginnings at Louvolite Gym and Mottram and Hattersley ABC
When Floyd Mayweather visited Manchester Town Hall in 2007, Hatton’s followers were ready.
Steve Tallo-Brady, a boxer-turned-coach who worked with a young Hatton, said: “I remember having a coffee with his mam and she said to take some eggs because Mayweather has been going at Rick in the other cities.”
The Mayweather fight in Las Vegas was guaranteed a big build-up. Manchester was a stop on a media tour to hype the mega bout.
“I went to my in-laws who grew fruit and vegetables, and I got two big bin liners of tomatoes and plums. We pelted them at Mayweather when he was in his [Manchester] United shirt,” said Tallo-Brady.
“Carol [Hatton’s mum] rang me from the pub across the road and she said ‘Steve did you just throw tomatoes at Mayweather?’ and I could hear the pub erupting.”
The world became acquainted with Hatton’s Manchester character through a fly-on-the-wall HBO documentary called “24/7.”
It showcased Hatton inside the gym and his grueling training sessions.
Yet, anyone could witness this firsthand, as sessions with coach Billy Graham at the Betta Bodies gym in Denton were sometimes open to the public.
Paul Smith recalls the chaotic scenes.
He said: “There would be Michael Gomez’s kids running around, Campbell [Hatton’s son] would be in there when he was small, the lads in the weight room next door would come in and watch the training, sometimes with pitbulls on leads.
“There were Billy’s iguanas in his office walking around, there were African bullfrogs.
“Billy would be in there with his feet up, window open and having a smoke between sessions. It was the maddest gym ever, but it just fitted.”
Hatton achieved stardom both in Las Vegas and at home. He fought five times in boxing’s unofficial capital, providing countless Mancunians with an excuse to visit Sin City.
“We were lads from a council estate who met up to watch City games together and here we were at after-parties with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt because of Rick,” Danny Jackson said.
Hatton fought 18 times in Manchester, winning 17 of those fights.
Hatton served as an ambassador for numerous charities, including Manchester-based Barnabus, which aids homeless individuals, and mental health organizations like the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
He consistently sought to give back.
“I would get invited to a whole range of things and events and I would spot in the corner of my eye, across the other side of the room, Ricky just chatting to people,” said Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester.
“I will always think about that when I think about Ricky Hatton.
“He was the kind of person who turned up to things. Not everyone is.”
‘The Hitman’ retired, after a comeback in 2012, with a record of 45 wins and three defeats in 48 fights having won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight.
He was an MBE and is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“He loved everything he achieved,” said Speak.
“But he always said to me ‘The biggest achievement I had was not the belts or the awards, it was the fanbase and the love of the fans’.
“That was his greatest achievement outside of his children.”
Hatton paved the way for countless others to follow in his footsteps. Manchester fighter Crolla was just one of them.
“When Ricky was fighting, every schoolboy boxer in the area would be trying to throw body shots like Ricky Hatton – probably to the annoyance of their coaches,” said Crolla, who fondly remembers the excitement on the amateur circuit when Hatton would present trophies.
“The gyms are bursting at the seams because of Ricky Hatton,” said Tallo-Brady, who had Hatton open his Tameside Elite Boxing Academy 22 years ago.
“If you looked at Madonna in the music industry or a Bruce Springsteen, Rick’s got that aura about him [in boxing].”
Speak mentioned that a foundation in Hatton’s name is being established. The gym will continue to operate in Hyde, and Speak, along with many others, hopes to see a statue erected.
Burnham intends to initiate discussions about a permanent memorial for Hatton at the appropriate time.
“All of the place felt they owned a bit of Ricky,” said Burnham.
‘There is, and always will be, only one Ricky Hatton’
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