Former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton has died at age 46, multiple European media outlets reported Sunday.
Police confirmed they found the body of a 46-year-old male at a home in the town of Hyde, about 200 miles north of London, but did not confirm Hatton’s death.
A statement from Greater Manchester Police said the death of the man is not considered to be due to “any suspicious circumstances.”
Hatton held the light-welterweight and welterweight titles and a career record of 45-3 and 32 knockouts.
“A true champion, an indomitable spirit, and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world,” WBA Boxing said in a statement.
He was undefeated on Dec. 8, 2007, when he met Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Las Vegas and lost by TKO in the 10th round.
Four more career fights followed, with Hatton losing his final two bouts before retirement. He lost to Manny Pacquiao on May 2, 2009, in a second-round knockout in Las Vegas. On Nov. 24, 2012, he was defeated by Vyacheslav Senchenko in a ninth-round KO in the United Kingdom.
Post-retirement, he admitted to his battle with drugs, alcohol and depression.
He was scheduled to end his retirement and meet 46-year-old Eisa Al Dah (8-3, 4 KOs) of the United Arab Emirates in a middleweight bout on Dec. 2 in Dubai.
A popular athlete in England, he was known to have been a fan of Manchester City of the Premier League. A minute of applause was scheduled for Sunday’s Manchester Derby between City and Manchester United, with players wearing black armbands in tribute.
–Field Level Media
