A new inquest into Ricky Hattonâs death begins on Friday, six months after the boxing legend was found dead at his home
Ricky Hatton was reportedly âwellâ according to family and friends just days before his death. A fresh inquest is due to begin on Friday morning, six months after the former boxing championâs body was discovered.
An initial probe into Hattonâs death in October 2025 cited a preliminary cause of death as âhanging.â The full inquest will take place on March 20, 2026.
Longtime friend and manager Paul Speak found Hatton âunresponsiveâ at his residence in Gee Cross, Hyde. Speak was scheduled to accompany the ex-boxer on a trip to Dubai and reported his death to the Greater Manchester Police.
The authorities confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances at the time and referred Hattonâs death to the coroner. The hearing heard that the 46-year-old was last seen by family members two days before he was found and âappeared well.â
He was then thought to have âreturned homeâ but failed to show up at a planned event the following day. Speak told Boxing News Magazine about the moment he discovered Hatton, describing it as a blend of intense emotions.
He said: âThe lights werenât on, which I thought was strange. I thought heâd overslept, but itâs not unusual. People do oversleep. So, I went inside â I have a key â shouting, âRick, Rick, wake up!â
âI heard music coming from upstairs, so I went upstairsâŠI took a look at himâŠI had to take some time to process it. I was in a state of shock and confusion and loss and many more emotions.
âThen I called the police and the ambulance. But I firmly believe he didnât intend to do it. Itâs for the coroner to determine, but he had it all to live for.â
The initial inquest occurred on October 16 with senior coroner Alison Mutch confirming they are awaiting the final cause of death. None of Hattonâs family were present and it remains unclear whether any will attend the full inquest on March 20.
The legendary boxerâs funeral was held on October 19 at Manchester Cathedral with thousands of mourners filling the streets to honour Hatton. Several of his close friends were in attendance, including Liam Gallagher, Tyson Fury, Tony Bellew and Wayne Rooney.
Sky Sports boxing commentator Adam Smith delivered a eulogy at the service, describing Hatton as âboth a boxing sporting icon and a working-class hero.â
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