2026-04-23 10:48:56
Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell Hatton says the support from the public following the boxer’s death has been a “blessing”.
The former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion tragically passed away last September at the age of 46 but his son explained how his loved ones have taken comfort from the public’s outpouring of grief for the fighter.
Campbell, who has also boxed professionally, told BBC Radio Manchester: “As a family we’ve not been able to grieve with any privacy and there’s a lot of negatives that have come from that – but if there’s a positive, it’s that people walking down the street say nice things and check up on us. That’s the blessing behind it.
“To everyone it’s heartbreaking. Not just Manchester, the whole country and the sport are heartbroken because they have lost Ricky Hatton but it’s just my dad to me.”
Thousands of people lined the route for the boxer’s funeral procession to Manchester Cathedral last October and Campbell explained that the family was touched by the sheer number of those who came out to pay their respects.
He said: “We were all so proud of the fanbase he had but to see it day to day… It’s nice.
“It shocked me the most at the funeral when we were in the cars making our way to the cathedral.
“There wasn’t a part of the route that wasn’t full of people. You couldn’t see a bit of pavement for the three hours we were in the car.
“We knew how popular he was but to actually see it in front of you was something else and we can’t thank people enough.”
A special Evening4Ricky will be held at Manchester Arena on June 7 – raising money for the Ricky Hatton Foundation – and Campbell wants the event to be “a celebration and a party” for the late boxer.
He said: “I think everyone in boxing, if they’re available, they want to be here and that is a testament to the man he was. It’s massive for people.
“I think it will be impossible for it to end up being a sad occasion. It’s going to be a great night.”
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