Ricky Hatton, the former world champion boxer who died in September, is believed to have killed himself, according to a provisional cause of death given at the opening of his inquest at Stockport coroner’s court.
Hatton, 46, was found dead in his home on 14 September. News of his death caused an outpouring of grief across the world and thousands of people lined the streets for his funeral.
His body was found in his home in Hyde after police received a call from a concerned neighbour, later revealed to have been his manager, Paul Speak, who alongside Hatton’s son and brother, was a pallbearer at his funeral.
The former world champion had been open about his struggles with clinical depression and substance abuse, saying on one occasion that he “was coming off the rails” with his drink and drug use, describing himself previously as being “like a runaway train”.
The police coroner’s officer Alison Catlow told the inquest Hatton was last seen by family members on Friday 12 September, when he seemed well and there was no cause for concern.
The court heard that the next day Hatton did not appear at an event that he was scheduled to attend, and on the morning of Sunday 14 September Speak went to Hatton’s home in order to escort him to Manchester airport to fly to Dubai.
When he didn’t get a response, Speak entered Hatton’s home, where he “found him unresponsive” . Speak called the emergency services, but Hatton was pronounced dead.
The full inquest into Hatton’s death is scheduled to begin at Manchester south coroner court on 20 March 2026.
In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org