Ricky Hatton's boxing record: How many fights did he win, world titles and why he was nicknamed 'The Hitman'
With world titles in two weight classes and an impressive record, Ricky Hatton leaves behind a sensational legacy in boxing.
As has been widely reported, the 46-year-old was found dead at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester on Sunday, September 14. According to police, there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Hatton, who was due to turn 47 in October, made his professional debut back in 1997, rising to fame under the tutelage of Billy Graham. The trainer - with whom he fell out in 2007 but reconciled eight years later - has paid tribute, along with many others, with flowers outside Hatton’s house and gym in Bowlacre Road.
Nicknamed ‘The Hitman’, Hatton’s professional boxing record was almost unblemished over the course of his 15-year career.
With a total of 48 fights in his career, Hatton won 45 matches - 32 of those coming via knock-out. In that time, he won both the light-welterweight and welterweight world titles - his brutally heavy punches giving him the ‘Hitman’ moniker.
His three career defeats came from some of the biggest names in the history of the sport. In 2007, Hatton was beaten by Floyd Mayweather; Manny Pacquiao got the better of him in 2009, and his career ended with a 2012 knock-out by Vyacheslav Senchenko.
‘The Hitman’ was his offical nickname, but outside the ring fans came up with another. When he wasn’t fighting, Hatton had a reputation for a poor diet, which saw him having to work harder in training to lose weight in the build-up to another bout.
With noticeable changes in his body between fights, fans and critics alike called him ‘Ricky Fatton’.
The Manchester boxer struggled with mental health and drug addiction, but was open in the media about his experiences.