Much of Hatton’s appeal lay in the salt-of-the-earth roots which he never lost touch with – doing much of his training in a ramshackle gym above a carpet factory in Hyde.
Indeed, when he walked to the ring to face Mayweather in Las Vegas he did so wearing a robe which carried an advert for his father’s carpet shop where he had worked until he turned professional.
“He was very approachable, very down to earth, which goes a long way to tell you what the man is all about,” said former WBC super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall.
“He reached the very top in his sport, but you could approach him and have a cup of tea with him – that’s what made him appealing to people.”
Mancunian Hatton’s all-action style made him one of the most popular fighters in the first decade of the 21st Century.
Hatton’s former promoter Frank Warren described, in a post on X, a “superbly talented fighter” who “inspired a generation of young boxers”.
Warren wrote: “From making his debut in Widnes in 1997 to then go on to win one of the most historic fights in British boxing history against Kostya Tszyu in Manchester, Ricky will rightly go down as one of the modern greats of this sport.”
Fellow promoter Eddie Hearn added: “Everybody loved Ricky. May he rest in eternal peace.”
Britain’s former light-welterweight world champion Khan said Hatton was “a friend, a mentor, a warrior”.
“Rip to the legend Ricky Hatton may he rip,” said former heavyweight world champion Fury on Instagram. “There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton. Can’t believe this so young.”
Hatton had rare popularity, being a figure who managed to transcend his sport.
During his peak he hung out with fellow Manchester City fans Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis.
Bunce said that Hatton “lived life fully” but was always willing “to take the mickey out of himself”.
Darts legend Phil Taylor and ex-England cricketer Andrew Flintoff were among those from other sports to pay tribute on social media.
Former England and Manchester United footballer Rooney, who carried Hatton’s belts into the ring before a fight with Jose Luis Castillo in 2007, said on X he was “devastated” and Hatton was a “a legend, a warrior and a great person”.
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