Ricky Hatton achieved a lot in his 46 years; International Boxing Hall of Famer, MBE, two-weight world champion among his many accolades.
His city of Manchester mourned in their thousands on Friday for a procession and ceremony on the day of his funeral at Manchester Cathedral.
Roads were closed and surrounding areas came to a standstill as people travelled from far and wide to pay their respects.
Celebrities from the worlds of sport, comedy, politics and entertainment turned out en masse, including Oasis’ Liam Gallagher, soccer icon Wayne Rooney, players from Hatton’s favorite team, Manchester City, and dozens of fighters, including Tyson Fury, Nigel and Conor Benn, Tony Bellew, Barry McGuigan, and Amir Khan filled the cathedral on an emotionally-charged day.
Hatton’s impact on boxing was felt far and wide, and it could yet earn him a spot in Hall of Fames beyond Canastota, where he was enshrined in 2024.
Hatton was a Manchester icon but many of his biggest nights came, of course, in Las Vegas, where his army of fans travelled in tens of thousands to watch his big nights against Juan Urango, Jose Luis Castillo, Floyd Mayweather, Paulie Malignaggi, and Manny Pacquiao in his 45-3 (32 KOs) career.
Hatton’s fanbase made as great an impact as the fighter, famously drinking the bars dry and singing the Walking in a Hatton Wonderland chorus and Hatton’s achievements could still see him enshrined in the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kostya Tszyu, whom Hatton defeated in Manchester, was given the same honor by the Las Vegas-based HOF in 2023,
Fight fan Wayne Thompson, who has visited induction weekends at the NVBHOF before, said: “I hope that they will induct him and keep his Vegas legend alive.”
Another source told BoxingScene that there had been talks with Hatton for him to be inducted in Nevada before he passed away last month and it is thought that Hatton’s case would receive overwhelming support for his induction.
“He was such a great guy,” said a contact at the NVBHOF. “We were looking forward to hosting Ricky here in Vegas and celebrating his boxing career and the epic fights that he had here on our Las Vegas strip.”
Hatton, 46 when he died, could still be inducted posthumously, adding to his list of career accolades.
At the Manchester Arena, scene of so many memorable Hatton nights, they have named a suite after “The Hitman” and there have been calls for a statue of the beloved star to be erected in his honor in Manchester, for their favourite fighting son.
The Ricky Hatton Foundation has also been set up “supporting those facing their own fights with mental illness and ensuring that no one ever has to face those battles alone.”
Visit www.rickyhattonfoundation.com for more information.
