'there Is, And There Will Always Be, Only One Ricky Hatton'

Ricky Hatton wanted 3 things arsenic a youngster: to go a world boxing champion, to support Manchester City, and to perceive to Oasis.

Life turned retired to beryllium a small much successful than that for nan boy from a Hyde assembly estate.

'The Hitman' won world titles successful 2 divisions, headlined a show astatine nan location of his beloved City and became bully friends pinch nan Gallagher brothers, truthful adjacent they moreover carried his belts into nan ringing for a conflict successful Las Vegas.

However, that doesn't show moreover a fraction of nan communicative of 1 of nan most-loved British boxing personalities location ever will be.

Born successful Stockport successful 1978, Hatton grew up arsenic nan boy of a carpet fitter and would participate nan family waste and acquisition arsenic a teenager.

Yet while he would later move retired to beryllium a maestro pinch his hands successful nan ring, he wasn't truthful adept pinch a Stanley knife, and 1 mishap excessively galore led to his begetter moving him into nan income team.

Hatton whitethorn not person had nan gift of nan gab erstwhile it came to trading flooring, either, but it was his wit and story-telling expertise that would thief nan British nationalist autumn for him erstwhile his profession successful nan ringing really sewage going.

He first laced up nan gloves earnestly successful Sale West Amateur Boxing Club and worked connected his ain successful a makeshift gym successful nan basement of a family pub. Like immoderate young boxer, he would ply his waste and acquisition successful steaming societal clubs and was soon opinionated retired arsenic thing special. Those who watched him could show his all-action style would beryllium much suited to nan master athletics than nan amateur ranks.

Hatton, who besides had shot tests astatine Manchester City arsenic a boy, worked pinch pro trainer Billy Graham while he was still a inferior amateur. Graham and Hatton would regularly beryllium connected nan steps extracurricular nan trainer's Salford gym and talk astir really they were going to spell to Las Vegas and New York together. Graham would guarantee a thin, ray teen that 1 time nan American conflict fans would emotion him. He was not wrong, moreover if it must person felt for illustration axenic imagination backmost then.

Firstly, it would beryllium nan British boxing fraternity who would autumn caput complete heels for an aggressive, forward-thinking combatant pinch a penchant for bending complete opponents pinch air-sapping assemblage shots.

Hatton's master travel began successful Kingsway Leisure Centre successful Widnes. There would beryllium much glamorous stops on nan measurement to reaching nan dizzy heights of nan MGM Grand Garden Arena. It was estimated that 30,000 fans flocked to Las Vegas for his 2007 showdown pinch Floyd Mayweather Jr, moreover if not each of them could compression into nan venue.

To return specified a singular pursuing crossed to boxing's unofficial capital, you request to beryllium an fantabulous fighter, entertaining and an bonzer character. Hatton was each of that.

As he built up an unbeaten record, he tapped into nan fanbase of his favourite shot nine astatine a clip erstwhile City were struggling for success. Soon, though, fans of some Reds and Blues successful Manchester would beryllium backing nan section boy.

If location were immoderate early concerns astir Hatton's expertise to scope nan top, it was a weakness astir his eyes. Cuts would look successful fights that were almost arsenic bad arsenic nan ones he made connected his ain fingers pinch a weapon while trying to fresh carpets.

Surgeries would yet thief and, arsenic nan wins continued to rack up, titles came.

His triumph complete Belfast's Eamonn Magee successful 2002, erstwhile Hatton picked himself up disconnected nan canvas, showed immoderate vulnerability but besides characteristic arsenic he spot down to move nan conflict backmost successful his favour.

Manchester knew they had a hero. The city's biggest indoor arena was regularly filled for his fights, but promoters could person sold it retired 10 times complete for what was, without doubt, Hatton's profession item successful 2005 erstwhile he took connected light-welterweight king Kostya Tszyu.

Staged successful nan early hours of nan greeting to suit American TV, nan ambiance wrong nan venue belongs successful British sporting folklore. It inspired Hatton to put connected nan capacity of a life and, not only hit nan man considered number 1 astatine 10 stone, but besides break his will truthful overmuch truthful that he didn't travel retired for nan last round. The celebrations went connected for days. Maybe weeks.

What made Hatton different to different sports stars was that galore of those celebrations were pinch his friends and fans.

Nights for illustration his - to put it successful polite position - 'not very bully shirt' nights became a regular aft victories.

When stars came to visit, moreover nan likes of Oscar de la Hoya, they were arsenic often treated to nan delights of nan section pubs successful Hyde arsenic overmuch arsenic nan flash cocktail bars of Manchester metropolis centre.

Hatton's emergence continued successful nan ring. After a defence of nan IBF title, he moved up to welterweight to triumph nan WBA loop against Luis Collazo successful Boston, and he became a two-weight world champion.

All roads appeared to beryllium starring to Mayweather and, aft a maiden Vegas travel to hit Jose Luis Castillo, he sewage a day pinch boxing's pound-for-pound superstar.

Those who were successful Sin City that week successful December 2007 show tales of thousands of British conflict fans emptying nan bars of alcohol. It is still talked astir by unit who worked it and struggled to banal nan fridges pinch proviso to fulfill nan thirst of supporters, who filled nan aerial of nan casinos pinch chants of "There's only 1 Ricky Hatton".

The weigh-in was spine-tingling arsenic nan Mancunian stared down Mayweather. Hatton, past unbeaten successful 43 fights, had his hardcore fans believing he could propulsion disconnected an almighty daze successful nan metropolis celebrated for those trying to hit nan odds.

He gave nan American a reliable nighttime but yet fell short arsenic he was stopped successful nan 10th round. It was a conclusion that wounded him much than galore would realise.

It caused a divided pinch trainer Graham successful nan first of a bid of financial rows for 'The Hitman'. It would beryllium complete a decade earlier nan brace settled their differences.

Hatton returned to hit Juan Lazcano astatine nan then-named City of Manchester Stadium - his shot club's location - earlier returning to nan US to hit Paulie Malignaggi.

Yet his problems had begun pinch intelligence wellness and addiction - he later said of problem pinch portion and narcotics - by nan clip he was preparing to look Manny Pacquiao successful 2009. That would extremity successful sadistic defeat.

Hatton later admitted that consequence hastened nan spiral downwards. Suicidal thoughts and addiction were difficult to woody with. Yet he remained a doting dada to Campbell, who was later joined by Millie and Fearne. He became a grandfather successful 2018 erstwhile Campbell's partner had their girl Lyla.

In 2012, location was a comeback effort against Vyacheslav Senchenko that ended, somewhat sadly, pinch a knockout conclusion aft a assemblage shot. His clip successful nan ringing vanished pinch singular 45 wins and conscionable 3 defeats, 2 of which were against bona fide all-time greats.

Hatton would spell connected to go a successful trainer, head and promoter.

He helped guideline boy Campbell's short master profession on pinch relative Matthew, who was a world title challenger himself.

Hatton was still moving successful nan athletics up until his decease astatine nan property of 46. He moreover had a comeback bout lined up for Dubai successful December. It would person been sad to spot a awesome for illustration him returning astatine specified an property - but we would each emotion to person seen it now alternatively than return successful nan sadness of his loss.

Those who followed Hatton passim his profession tin still perceive nan chant that echoed astir nan Manchester Arena and nan MGM Grand successful Las Vegas.

There is, and location will ever be, only 1 Ricky Hatton.