The icon of British boxing, 46-year-old Ricky Hatton, who inspired a new generation of boxing, was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester on Saturday, September 12, 2025.
The Greater Manchester Police has now confirmed that “officers were called by a member of the public (whose identity has not been revealed) to his house in Hyde, Tameside, on Sunday morning at 6:45 am, where they found the body of a 46-year-old man,” a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson told the BBC.
What was the cause of death for the boxer? The spokesperson commented, “We don’t know that information yet, but what was said in that article was that “authorities said they believe his death didn’t come under any suspicious circumstances.”
The local police authorities didn’t provide any clear answer, saying, “Authorities said they believe his death did not come under any suspicious circumstances."
Beyond the ring, Hatton was always open about his battles with depression and drug addiction. He spoke publicly about drug use and depression.
These events cast a long shadow on his family too, but in the preceding years, he coped with his mental health issues, which is evident from the fact that he had announced the plans for a comeback to the ring with a fight that was set for December this year.
Hatton fought a total of 48 professional bouts, of which he won 45, in a career that spanned over 15 years. Ricky Hatton made his debut at Widnes in 1997.
He won two world titles in two divisions (lightweight and welterweight) against Kostya Tszyu in June 2005 and Jose Luis Castillo in June 2007.
It was in 2007, when Hatton lost for the first time in his career against Mayweather at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
However, Hatton made a stunning comeback a year later, before a supercharged crowd in his hometown Manchester City’s Stadium against Manny Pacquiao in 2009, but lost inside two rounds.
Hatton then took a four-year break from 2009 to 2012 but made a comeback to the ring in 2012 against Vyacheslav Senchenko but lost and announced his retirement after that defeat.
Ricky Hatton, in July this year, had announced his comeback; here he was set to fight against Eisa Al Dah on December 2, 2025, but God has other plans.
Hatton’s popularity reached far beyond the ring. He was a candid personality and approachable; that’s the reason he always maintained a strong bond with his fanbase, who often packed stadiums and arenas to support him.
Ricky Hatton’s passing has left the boxing community in shock, but his legacy will be remembered as that of Britain’s most popular fighter among the modern greats of the game.