September 14, (THEWILL) — Former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton has passed away at the age of 46, with Greater Manchester Police confirming they discovered his body at a property on Bowlacre Road in Hyde, Tameside, at 6.45am on Sunday.
Officers stated there are currently no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the Manchester fighter.
The boxer, known throughout his career by the nickname “The Hitman,” had competed professionally from 1997 until 2012, claiming world titles in both light welterweight and welterweight divisions.
His impressive record included 45 victories against just three defeats during a 15-year span that established him among Britain’s most celebrated fighters.
Hatton had recently announced plans to end his retirement, scheduling a bout against Eisa Al Dah for December 2 in Dubai.
This would have marked his return to professional competition 13 years after his final official match, a knockout defeat to Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Senchenko in November 2012.
Throughout his prime years, the British champion defeated notable opponents including Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo, though he suffered devastating knockout losses to Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao in 2009.
Sports personalities have paid tribute following the announcement, with boxers Amir Khan, Tyson Fury, and Chris Eubank Jr joining footballer Michael Owen in honouring the fallen champion.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
