Ricky Hatton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ricky Hatton MBE
Hatton in 2009
Statistics
Real name	Richard John Hatton
Nickname(s)	The Hitman The Manchester Mexican The Pride of Hyde Fatton
Rated at	Light-welterweight Welterweight
Height	5 ft 6 in
Reach	65 in
Born	(1978-10-06)6 October 1978 Stockport, England
Died	September 2025(2025-09-00) (aged 46) Hyde, England
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	48
Wins	45
Wins by KO	32
Losses	3

Richard John Hatton (6 October 1978 – September 2025), known by fans as the Hitman, was a famous British professional boxer. He competed from 1997 to 2012. Later, he became a boxing promoter and trainer. During his career, he won many world championships. These included titles in the light-welterweight division and one at welterweight. In 2005, he was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine and other boxing groups.

In 2000, Hatton won the British light-welterweight title. The next year, he won the World Boxing Union (WBU) title. He defended this title successfully fifteen times from 2001 to 2004. His biggest achievement came in 2005. He beat Kostya Tszyu to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Ring, and lineal titles. Later that year, he also won the World Boxing Association (WBA) title. This made him a unified light-welterweight world champion.

In 2006, Hatton moved up to the welterweight division. He won a tough fight against WBA champion Luis Collazo. This gave him a world title in a second weight class. He returned to light-welterweight in 2007. There, he won the vacant IBF title again, along with the International Boxing Organization (IBO) title. Later that year, Hatton faced his first career defeat. He lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. while trying to win more welterweight titles. This loss was very tough for Hatton. He faced another defeat in 2009 when he lost his IBO, Ring, and lineal light-welterweight titles to Manny Pacquiao.

After a long break, Hatton announced his retirement in 2011. However, in 2012, he decided to make a comeback. This was more than three years after his last fight. He lost to Vyacheslav Senchenko in his return match. This prompted Hatton to announce his final retirement right away. He remained retired for 13 years. In July 2025, he announced another comeback.

Ricky Hatton was known as one of the most loved British boxers ever. He had many loyal fans who traveled far to support him. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2024.

Ricky Hatton: A Boxing Legend

Early Life and Beginnings

Richard John Hatton was born on 6 October 1978 in Stockport, England. He grew up in Hyde, Greater Manchester. His grandfather and father both played football for Rochdale. Ricky even had a trial for their youth team. He found a local boxing club in Hyde to train at. His entrance music for fights was the Manchester City club song "Blue Moon." When he was 14, his uncles took him to watch a big boxing match. After school, he worked in his family's carpet business.

Amateur Boxing Journey

Hatton had a short but successful amateur career. He won seven British titles. He also represented his country at the 1996 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. He turned professional at 18. Hatton trained at Billy "The Preacher" Graham's gym in Moss Side.

Professional Career Highlights

Light-Welterweight Champion

Hatton started his professional career on 11 September 1997. He won his first fight by a technical knockout (TKO) in the first round. His second fight was at Madison Square Garden in New York. He quickly became a popular fighter, often appearing on the undercard of major British boxing events. In 1999, he was named Young Boxer of the Year. His first international title came in May 1999. He won the WBO inter-continental light-welterweight title.

Hatton continued to win many fights. He gained the WBA Inter-Continental title. In October 2000, he fought Jon Thaxton for the vacant British title. Hatton won on points, even with a cut above his eye. He then claimed the vacant WBU title in March 2001.

Hatton vs. Tszyu: A Big Victory

On 5 June 2005, Hatton faced IBF and The Ring champion Kostya Tszyu. Tszyu was considered one of the best boxers in the world. Hatton was not expected to win, but he defeated Tszyu by TKO. This victory made Hatton a global boxing star. Many saw it as one of the best wins by an English boxer in years.

Unifying the Light-Welterweight Titles

On 26 November 2005, Hatton won the WBA light-welterweight title. He defeated Carlos Maussa in the ninth round. This made him a unified world champion. In December, Hatton was named the 2005 Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year. He later gave up his IBF title in March 2006. This was because he wanted to move up to the welterweight division.

Stepping Up to Welterweight

Hatton training in 2006

Hatton moved up to welterweight in May 2006. He fought American Luis Collazo for the WBA welterweight title. Hatton won the title, but it was a very tough fight. He knocked Collazo down early, which helped him secure the victory.

Back to Light-Welterweight

Hatton returned to light-welterweight in January 2007. He fought Juan Urango for the IBF and vacant IBO titles. Hatton won by a unanimous decision (UD). This meant he recaptured the IBF light-welterweight title. Later that year, he fought José Luis Castillo. Hatton won by knockout in the fourth round with a powerful body punch.

Big Fights and Challenges

Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr., 2007

On 8 December 2007, Hatton fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. for welterweight titles. This was a huge fight in Las Vegas. Hatton started strong, putting pressure on Mayweather. However, Mayweather adapted and eventually won by TKO in the tenth round. This was Hatton's first professional loss.

Hatton in 2008

Hatton returned to light-welterweight in May 2008. He beat Juan Lazcano by UD in front of 55,000 fans in Manchester. This was a record for a British boxing match after World War II. In November 2008, he fought Paulie Malignaggi in Las Vegas. Hatton dominated the fight and won by TKO in the eleventh round.

Hatton with his trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. (left), Manny Pacquiao (second from right) and Freddie Roach, 2009

On 2 May 2009, Hatton faced Manny Pacquiao. This fight was also in Las Vegas. Pacquiao defeated Hatton by knockout in the second round. After this loss, Hatton took a long break from boxing.

Final Fights and Retirement

In September 2012, Hatton announced he would return to professional boxing. He had lost a lot of weight for his comeback fight. His opponent was Vyacheslav Senchenko. Hatton started well, but Senchenko gained control. In the ninth round, Senchenko knocked Hatton down with a body punch. Hatton was counted out. After this fight, Hatton announced his final retirement from the ring. He said he realized he no longer had what it takes to compete at that level.

In July 2025, Hatton announced another comeback at age 46. A fight was planned for 2 December 2025 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates against 46-year-old Eisa Al Dah. Hatton expressed excitement about the event, hoping it would lead to more boxing events in Dubai. The fight was announced via a virtual face-off, as Hatton was unable to travel due to injury. Al Dah, who was also the promoter, had not fought since 2021.

Life Outside the Ring

Family and Passions

Hatton Health and Fitness - Hatton's gym in his home town of Hyde, Greater Manchester.

Ricky Hatton was a big fan of Manchester City football club. His father and grandfather both played for the club. His entrance music, "Blue Moon," was also a Manchester City song.

He got his nickname, "The Hitman," when he was just 10 years old. His amateur coach saw him hitting the boxing bag and said, "Look at him, he's a little Hitman."

Hatton had three children. His son, Campbell, born in 2001, also became a professional boxer. Campbell was trained by Ricky's brother, Matthew. In July 2025, Ricky confirmed that Campbell had retired from boxing. Ricky also had two daughters, Millie and Fearne.

Helping Others: Charity Work

Hatton speaking at an event in Staines-upon-Thames, April 2024

Hatton supported many charities. He helped The Village News, a children's newspaper, by signing boxing gloves for an auction. He also spoke at events for The Toby Henderson Trust. In December 2013, Hatton became a patron for Barnabus, a homeless charity in Manchester.

Dedicated Fans

Hatton was famous for his loyal and loud fans. They often sang a special version of the Christmas song "Winter Wonderland" to support him.

After Retirement: Promoter and Trainer

Hatton started his own boxing promotions company, Hatton Promotions. This company managed many fighters. In 2017, Zhanat Zhakiyanov became the first world champion under Hatton Promotions. Hatton also became a boxing trainer. He trained fighters like Nathan Gorman and Tommy Fury. In 2018, he was in the corner for Tyson Fury during his fight against Deontay Wilder. In December 2023, Hatton guided Chloe Watson to win the European female flyweight title.

In January 2024, Hatton appeared on the ITV skating competition Dancing on Ice. He was the first contestant eliminated. He later had a relationship with fellow contestant, actress Claire Sweeney, but they separated in 2025. A documentary about his career, called Hatton, was released in 2023. It was nominated for a BAFTA award in 2024.

Remembering Ricky Hatton

On 14 September 2025, Ricky Hatton was found dead at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester. He was 46 years old. Police confirmed his body was discovered after a neighbor called them. They stated that his death was not being treated as suspicious. Many famous boxers, including Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Manny Pacquiao, shared their tributes to Hatton.

Professional Boxing Record

Exhibition Boxing Record

Pay-per-view Bouts

Images for kids

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  Ricky Hatton playfully posing as "Ricky Fatton" in 2008.

See also

In Spanish: Ricky Hatton para niños

• List of boxing families#Hatton family