FORMER world boxing champion Ricky Hatton died by suicide last month, according to a coroner’s testimony at a court hearing Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, (PH time) in England.
Hatton, 46, was found unresponsive on the morning of Sept. 14 at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, by his manager Paul Speak.
“The provisional cause of death is given as hanging,” senior coroner Alison Mutch said during a brief hearing that opened an inquest into the former fighter’s death.
Hatton was last seen by his family on Sept. 12, two days before his body was discovered. He had been scheduled to attend an event on Sept. 13 but did not appear.
The Manchester native had spoken openly about his struggles with depression, telling the BBC in 2016 that he had attempted to take his own life “several times.”
Hatton, nicknamed “The Hitman,” was one of Britain’s most popular fighters during his career. He held world titles in the light welterweight and welterweight divisions, compiling a record of 45–3 with 32 knockouts.
He was unbeaten until Dec. 8, 2007, when he faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas and lost by technical knockout in the 10th round.
Hatton fought four more times before retiring, suffering a second-round KO loss to Manny Pacquiao on May 2, 2009, and a ninth-round defeat to Vyacheslav Senchenko in his final bout on Nov. 24, 2012.
Hatton had recently announced plans to come out of retirement for a middleweight fight against 46-year-old Eisa Al Dah of the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 2 in Dubai.
Thousands of fans lined the streets of Manchester last week to pay their respects following a private memorial service for Hatton. / FROM THE WIRES