Ricky Hatton’s long-time manager, Paul Speak, says he found the former world champion dead at his Hyde home.
Speak, who worked with Hatton for nearly 30 years, alerted police after discovering the body early Sunday morning.
He went to check on Hatton after the boxer missed a scheduled event in Manchester on Saturday, September 13.
Speak Describes the Moment
Speak noticed the lights were off and initially assumed Hatton had overslept.
He entered the house using his key, calling, “Rick, Rick, wake up!” and heard music upstairs.
Speak climbed the stairs, saw Hatton, and paused to process the scene.
“I experienced shock, confusion, loss, and many emotions,” Speak told Boxing News. “Then I called police and ambulance services.”
Speak believes Hatton did not intend to harm himself, but he said the coroner will determine the cause.
Hatton’s Life Plans and Legacy
Speak insists Hatton “was in a really good place” before his death and criticized false speculation about his parents.
Hatton had planned activities for the coming weeks, including taking his daughters to an Oasis concert.
He booked trips to Thailand for the WBC convention and a holiday, and a flight to Tenerife for Christmas.
Speak emphasized that Hatton had many reasons to live and maintained close ties with his family.
“He had just hugged his mum last week and planned to see his dad after Dubai,” Speak said.
Hatton’s daughters had never seen him fight, and he looked forward to sharing that experience with them.
Police confirmed they are not treating Hatton’s death as suspicious.
