Wayne Rooney paid tribute to his friend and champion boxer Ricky Hatton, who was found dead at the age of 46 in his home, remembering the time he carried his belts to the ring
16:13, 15 Sep 2025
Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney paid tribute to Ricky Hatton(Image: BBC Sport)
Wayne Rooney said it was “devastating” to learn of the death of champion boxer and his friend Ricky Hatton.
Hatton, 46, was found dead in his home on Sunday morning after friends raised concerns about his safety when he didn’t arrive to an event the previous evening. Authorities later confirmed they had located him, stating there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the passing of the Manchester fighter.
Tributes have poured in from across the boxing world and those close to him. Emotional statements from the likes of Amir Khan and Vincent Kompany arrived before a heartbreaking release by the boxer’s family.
Speaking on the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport, Rooney also paid tribute to his close friend as he remembered ‘The People’s Champion.’ He said: “It’s devastating, heartbreaking.
“We played a game over here in Korea and the minute I walked off the pitch, someone told me he passed away. Just devastating. Ricky was such a good lad, a good person and I don’t know really what to say on it.
Ricky Hatton
Ricky Hatton was found dead on Sunday(Image: Getty Images)
“It’s so sad that someone at such a young age with his whole life still ahead of him, I think he was due to fight in an exhibition match in Saudi Arabia, to hear that news is just devastating.
“I’ve been in Ricky’s company many times, carried his belt out into the ring against Castillo in Las Vegas. He’s someone who captured the nation in terms of the support who followed him all around the world in boxing.
“Just want to pay my condolences to his family and everyone who’s close to him, because it’s way too soon.
“He was a very lively person, happy person. I think he’s someone everyone loved, everyone could relate to. So often nowadays you see - any type of celebrity really - you see a lot of them and they’re not really relatable, Ricky was certainly relatable, and very good fun to be around.
“We all know he has had issues throughout his life which a lot of us have, but to come in after the game today and hear that news was just devastating. It still hasn’t really sunk in with me because of how loveable he was.
Wayne Rooney poses with Ricky Hatton
Wayne Rooney carried Ricky Hatton's belts to the ring(Image: Getty Images)
“We see boxing now, how much it’s grown with the new businesses coming into it, but Ricky was the one who, no matter where the fight was, the support he got and people spending money to go and watch him because he was so relatable and he felt like he was one of theirs.
"Even though he was from Manchester, you had a lot of people from Liverpool or London or wherever it was to come to follow him, because he made them proud to be English.”
In 2007, Rooney carried Hatton’s belts into the ring before the boxer’s victory over Jose Luis Castillo In Las Vegas. Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher also carried Hatton’s belts into the ring ahead of his victory against Paulie Malignaggi the following year.
Despite being a Manchester City supporter, sporting the club’s badge on his light blue shorts, Hatton’s career transcended football rivalry in the city.
Don't miss a thing with football updates!
Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter!
From the latest transfer news to breaking stories, get it all in your email inbox.
How do you sign up?
It only takes a matter of seconds.
Simply click on this link, then provide your email address and that's it, job done. You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories.
You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, right here
Rooney continued to remember: “I look back at the pictures on how young we both look and it’s one of the most nervous I’ve been. I was in the pool all day in Vegas and it was hot, and my face got a bit burnt.
Article continues below
“But then I remember standing in his dressing room and just being nervous because he had never lost at that time, and just thinking I hope he doesn’t lose tonight, because “is it on you, is it partly your fault?”
“He’s just a lovely person, it’s just so sad to hear the news. I don’t think it’s really, fully kicked in to be honest. I’m sure over the next few days from everyone across the country we’ll see a lot of messages and people will understand what a true gentlemen and good person he was.”