Boxing legend Ricky Hatton, once hailed as one of Britain’s finest fighters, has died aged 46. His body was discovered at his Manchester home early on Sunday morning, police confirmed. While his cause of death has not yet been disclosed, authorities stated it is not being treated as suspicious.
The former world champion, known as “The Hitman,” had recently stepped back into the public eye through a documentary, a planned comeback fight, and even a stint on ITV’s Dancing On Ice in 2024. For many, it symbolised his determination to find light after years of struggling with depression, alcohol and drugs.
Ricky was candid about his darkest days. Speaking in 2016, he admitted: “I had suffered from depression for quite some time and a lot of things were going wrong. My mind was going up and down. For a short while there I didn’t care whether I lived or died. I tried killing myself several times.” He confessed that alcohol only deepened his despair, leading him down an even darker path.
The 2007 TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr was a pivotal moment in Ricky’s career and life, sparking battles with his mental health. Though he managed victories against Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi soon after, the emotional scars lingered. Ricky later revealed: “I didn’t care who I was with, what I was doing. I didn’t care whether I lived or died and it is a very, very difficult thing.”
His 2023 Sky documentary Hatton laid bare those struggles – estrangement from his family, the breakdown with his coach, and a chilling suicide attempt. He told Radio 4 earlier this year: “I used to go to the pub, come back and sit there in the dark crying hysterically.”
Yet Ricky also tried to turn pain into purpose. As a mental health ambassador, he urged other fighters to speak up: “If a boxer can come out and say they’re struggling and crying every day, it’s going to make a huge difference. Having gone through it, I now see it as my job to help those suffering with mental health.”
Only months ago, Ricky announced he was preparing for a boxing comeback inspired by Oasis’ reunion tour and his own weight-loss transformation. “It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I’m at,” he said, adding that he hoped his journey would encourage others facing similar battles.
Outside the ring, Ricky’s love life made headlines too. He dated actress Claire Sweeney after reconnecting on Dancing On Ice, though the pair split in December 2024 but remained friends. He also leaves behind three children: son Campbell, 23, a rising boxing star himself, and daughters Millie and Fearne.
Once worth an estimated £31m, Ricky’s boxing career spanned 48 professional fights with only three defeats. But his legacy extends beyond the ring – to the raw honesty with which he shared his struggles, the laughter he brought to fans, and the resilience he showed in his constant fight back.
