Thousands Gather in Manchester to Honor Ricky Hatton, Former World Champion Boxer
A large crowd filled the streets of Manchester on Friday to celebrate the life of Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer who passed away last month at the age of 46.
Hatton was widely admired in the sports world, drawing fans from around the globe to watch his matches against boxing legends such as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. His death on 14 September was met with deep sorrow, prompting a moment of silence during Manchester’s football derby later that evening.
The funeral procession moved through the city for two hours, with crowds applauding at various stops along the route. It began at the Cheshire Cheese in Hyde, a pub Hatton frequently visited near his home, before passing other meaningful locations, including the Harehill Tavern and Hatton’s gym, and arriving at Manchester Cathedral.
At the cathedral, Hatton’s coffin was carried by close family and friends, including his brother, Matthew Hatton, son Campbell Hatton—both boxers—and Paul Speak, who had managed him throughout his career.
Many well-known figures from Manchester attended the service, including musician Liam Gallagher, a fellow Manchester City supporter, who, along with his brother Noel, had formerly escorted Hatton’s title belts into the ring during a 2008 fight against Paulie Malignaggi. Other attendees included Shaun Ryder and Bez from the Happy Mondays, former footballer Wayne Rooney, and boxing champions Tyson Fury, Amir Khan, and Anthony Crolla.
During the service, Campbell Hatton delivered an emotional tribute, calling his father "the people’s champion" and expressing deep admiration for him.
"I can’t explain how much I’ll miss you, Dad, and that we won’t make new memories," he said. "But the ones we did, I'll cherish forever. Growing up, I looked up to him in every way—whether it was boxing or how he carried himself outside the ring. All of that came from the love I've always had for him."
Following the cathedral service, Hatton’s coffin was taken to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium for a private ceremony. The coffin was painted in light blue, the color of his lifelong-supported team, where he had once fought Juan Lazcano before a record-breaking crowd in 2008. Leading the procession was the iconic yellow Reliant Regal van from Only Fools and Horses, a show Hatton loved—he had previously owned the original vehicle.
Outside the Cheshire Cheese pub, mourners paid their respects as the procession began its journey.
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