Thousands of people have come out to pay their respects as Ricky Hatton's funeral cortege makes its way through Greater Manchester.
The procession began at one of Hatton's local pubs, The Cheshire Cheese in the village of Gee Cross, where he lived. People lined the streets with flags in the sky blue colours of Manchester City and applauded as the cortege made its way past.
Hatton, a popular, larger-than-life character who unified the light-welterweight division and also won a world welterweight title, was found dead aged 46 at his home in Hyde on September 14. A funeral procession will start at 9.45am at the Cheshire Cheese Pub – Hatton’s local – and goes to Manchester Cathedral, with thousands expected to line the streets to reflect on his life and times.
The cortege includes stops at Hatton’s boxing gym and the AO Arena, where he enjoyed some of his finest nights, the highlight indisputably being a win over the celebrated Kostya Tszyu on a raucous night 20 years ago to capture his first world title. Following a private memorial service at midday, the commemorative march will head to the Etihad Stadium, the home of Hatton’s beloved Manchester City.
Thousands of people have come out to pay their respects as Ricky Hatton's funeral cortege makes its way through Greater Manchester. (Photo: Getty Images)placeholder image
Thousands of people have come out to pay their respects as Ricky Hatton's funeral cortege makes its way through Greater Manchester. (Photo: Getty Images) | Getty Images
News of Hatton’s death was announced just hours before the Manchester derby at Eastlands, with a minute’s applause held immediately ahead of kick-off by players and fans of both City and United. Hatton’s all-action style brought him 45 wins and three defeats from 48 contests but it was his down-to-earth demeanour that especially endeared him to fellow professionals and fans around the world.
That was evidenced by tens of thousands following him to Las Vegas, where he fought the two pound-for-pound greatest fighters of his era in Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao, with stories of UK fans singing ‘there’s only one Ricky Hatton’ and drinking Sin City dry going down in boxing folklore. Hatton suffered his first professional defeat when he was stopped by Mayweather in 2007 while a vicious second-round knockout by Pacquiao two years later precipitated his fall from top-level boxing.
A misguided comeback attempt against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012 marked the first public admission Hatton was struggling to cope in retirement. Having participated in a no-scoring exhibition against Mexico’s Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, Hatton announced in July he would return to the ring in a professional bout in Dubai in December.
He had resumed training and his family said he had been “in a good place” and “excited for the future” before his death, for which Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances. His cause of death has not been released.
Ricky Hatton has three children Campbell, Millie, and Fearne. Jennifer Dooley is the mother of Millie and Fearne. Campbell is from a previous relationship. His youngest daughter, Fearne, was born in 2013.
The English boxing legend did not have a wife. He dated the actress Claire Sweeney for several months last year.
Previously Sweeney said: "I first met him in La Manga in the early 2000’s, then we did Dance for Comic Relief together 2013, and then we met on Dancing on Ice and it’s great. He makes me laugh and we both like Only Fools and Horses, so what’s not to like!"
Ricky has never married but had an 11 year romance with Jennifer Dooley from 2005 to 2016. He also had a short fling with Playboy model Chelsea Claire.
'The Hitman' has an estimated net worth of around £35million. The bulk of that was earned over the course of his illustrious 15-year in-ring career. Notable matches against boxing icons Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao also significantly boosted his wealth, with the latter alone reportedly netting him £15m.
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