Former World Boxing Champion Hatton Dies aged 46

British boxer Ricky Hatton, a former two -way world champion, died at the age of 46, the World Boxing Association said on Sunday.

The nickname “The Hitman”, Hatton won the Light-Welterweight WBA, IBO and IBF titles and the WBA Welterweight World Championships during his 15-year career before his retirement in 2012.

He had taken over a return for an event in Dubai later this year.

“A true champion, a unmistakable spirit and a myth of the sport.

Grand Manchester police said in a statement that a body had been found on Sunday morning at a Hyde address in northern English city.

“Death is not treated as a suspect,” the police spokesman said.

Hatton had 45 wins in 48 periods for his career, but years after his retirement he said he tried to kill himself several times and was open to his fight with depression, drink and drugs.

“I was one of the rails with my drink and that led to drugs. It was like a train,” he told the BBC Radio in 2016.

Hatton’s best performance came in 2005, when he stopped Australian Kostya Tszyu to add IBF’s Light-Welterweight title to the WBU zone he already had.

It had a perfect 43-0 record until Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007 and was never the same again.

Hatton’s second loss came in 2009, when Manny Pacquiao hit him.

“Today we lost not only one of Britain’s biggest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton,” said former lightweight Welterweight champion and colleague of British Boxer Amir Khan who posted on X.

“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your struggles, the moments of your glory, your cracking, thank you for pushing us, showing us what is possible … You will always have your place in the ring of our memories.”