Boxing Legend Dies Suddenly At 46

British boxing legend Ricky Hatton — a fan favorite, former world champion in two weight classes — has passed away at the age of 46. The tragic news comes just months ahead of a planned comeback.

The BBC reported that Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a body was discovered at a home in Hyde Sunday following a call from a neighbor, though “the death is not being treated as suspicious.” An immediate cause of death was not provided.

Ricky Hatton, last sparring session before his fight v Juan Lazcano at the City of Manchester Stadium
Photo: Harry Potts

Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton’s boxing career spanned from 1997 through 2012, culminating in an impressive record of 45-3. The legendary run included championship belts as a light-welterweight and welterweight, as well as a 43-fight unbeaten streak.

It took two of the sport’s biggest legends in Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 and later Manny Pacquiao to stop the unbeaten streak. The only other loss in Hatton’s career came again Vyacheslav Senchenko.

Since hanging up his gloves, Hatton has been very open about his struggles with depression, mental-health issues, alcohol and drug abuse. He had been preparing for a comeback bout as a middleweight against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai this coming December, however.

“I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train,” he told BBC radio in 2016.

Hatton was a longtime fan of Manchester City FC and was close friends with Liam and Noel Gallagher of the rock band Oasis. Manchester City honored Hatton ahead of Sunday’s clash with crosstown rivals Manchester United.

British boxing icons Tyson Fury and Amir Khan also were among those to post tributes to Hatton on social media.

Hatton speaks at a press conference ahead of his bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007

“RIP to the legend Ricky Hatton, may he RIP. There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton. Can’t believe this, so young,” Fury wrote in an Instagram post.

“Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior,” Khan posted on X. “As fighters, we tell ourselves we’re strong — we train, we sweat, we take hits, we get up. But sometimes the hardest fight happens in silence, in the mind. Mental health isn’t weakness. It’s part of being human. And we must talk about it. We must reach out. We must lean on each other.”