Ricky Hatton’s long-time manager says he was in a state of ‘shock and confusion’ after finding the boxer dead at his home.
Paul Speak had worked with Hatton for almost 30 years and was the one who alerted police from the former world champion’s home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, earlier this month.
After hearing that Hatton had failed to attend a boxing event in Manchester on Saturday, September 13, Speak went to check on his friend early on the Sunday morning.
‘The lights weren’t on, which I thought was strange. I thought he’d overslept, but it’s not unusual. People do oversleep,’ Speak told Boxing News magazine.
‘So, I went inside – I have a key – shouting, ‘Rick, Rick, wake up!’ I heard music coming from upstairs, so I went upstairs… I took a look at him… I had to take some time to process it.
‘I was in a state of shock and confusion and loss and many more emotions. Then I called the police and the ambulance.
‘But I firmly believe he didn’t intend to do it. It’s for the coroner to determine, but he had it all to live for.’
Police said earlier this month that Hatton’s death is not being treated as suspicious.
Speak maintains that Hatton ‘was in a really good place’ before his death and has hit out at speculation over the 46-year-old’s relationship with his mum and dad.
‘He’d arranged to take his daughters to see Oasis next week. He was planning to go to Thailand for the WBC convention and a holiday after his fight. He’d just booked a flight to Tenerife for Christmas,’ Speak said.
‘I want to get the truth out, otherwise people will just speculate. There’s been a lot of rubbish written about Ricky and his parents, but he’d seen his mum just last week, gave her a big hug and some love.
‘He was going to see his dad after getting back from Dubai. His daughters had never seen him box, so he was excited for that. So many things for him to live for – he was in a really good place.
‘If this was 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have been as big a shock as it was. I’ve been with Ricky to the very highest mountains in boxing to the lowest chasm in life.’
Hatton, who initially retired in 2009 before one comeback fight in 2012, was in training for a return to the ring later this year.
The Hitman was due to fight United Arab Emirates’ Eisa Al Dah in a middleweight contest in Dubai on December 2.
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