Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer, died in September 2024 at age 46. He was found unresponsive at his home in Hyde on September 14, with the provisional cause of death being hanging. The coroner concluded that Hatton carried out the acts leading to his death but could not be sure he intended to take his own life.
Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Manchester for his funeral procession, which took three hours from Hyde to Manchester Cathedral. Campbell Hatton, his son and a professional boxer, said the family has not been able to grieve privately but appreciates the public support. According to Daily Mirror - News, Campbell Hatton described the support as 'something else' and said the family could not thank people enough.
It means the world to us. It was no surprise, but the support we've got from everyone has even shocked us.
Hatton had been candid about mental health struggles, drink and drugs, and suicide attempts after retiring in 2012. Campbell Hatton said one of his best friends recently took his own life, and he has had his own battles with mental health leading up to his father's death. An event called Evening4Ricky will be held at the AO Arena on June 7 to celebrate Hatton's legacy.
According to Daily Mirror - News, Campbell Hatton said the event aims to raise awareness of mental health and raise money for charities.
There just wasn’t part of the route that wasn’t full of people. We couldn’t see one bit of pavement in the three hours we were in the car. We knew how popular he was, but to actually see it, was something else.
It's going to be an emotional night, but it doesn't necessarily have to be a sad one.
It's a celebration, and we want plenty going, but most importantly we want to raise awareness of mental health and raise money for the charities.
I've had my own battles leading up to my dad dying. I heard it all the time that you should be talking, but to get yourself there... doing it is the hard bit. Once you're there it's easy, and it helps. It works.
As a family we've not been able to grieve with any privacy and there's a lot of negatives that have come from that - but if there's a positive, it's that people walking down the street say nice things and check up on us. That's the blessing behind it.
To everyone it's heartbreaking. Not just Manchester, the whole country and the sport are heartbroken because they have lost Ricky Hatton but it's just my dad to me.
We were all so proud of the fanbase he had but to see it day to day... It's nice. It shocked me the most at the funeral when we were in the cars making our way to the cathedral. There wasn't a part of the route that wasn't full of people. You couldn't see a bit of pavement for the three hours we were in the car. We knew how popular he was but to actually see it in front of you was something else and we can't thank people enough.
I think everyone in boxing, if they're available, they want to be here and that is a testament to the man he was. It's massive for people. I think it will be impossible for it to end up being a sad occasion. It's going to be a great night.