EXCLUSIVE: Ricky Hatton who died in tragic circumstances last September would be so proud of his son as he announces his return to the ring, says Hatton’s manager Paul Speak
Paul Speak, the close friend and longtime manager of late boxing world champion Ricky Hatton, has said Hatton would be delighted if he could see his only son now – who recently announced his return to the ring, in his dad’s honour.
Hatton died last September 14, aged just 46, having been found unresponsive by Speak at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester. He left behind three children – Campbell, 25, Millie, 14, and Fearne, 13.
Campbell, who said at the time that “‘heartbroken’ was an ‘“insufficient word” to describe his loss, followed in his dad’s footsteps to become a professional boxer, before retiring from the ring in 2024.
But just last week, the boxer, aka ‘The Hurricane’, made an unexpected career U-turn by signing with Misfits Boxing, with plans to make a huge comeback to boxing.
In honour of his father, the younger Hatton announced he would return in an exhibition card alongside Kell Brook, with the proceeds going to the Ricky Hatton Foundation. He said after the shock announcement,: “It’s all about doing [Ricky] proud. Buzzing. Can’t wait to get things going again.”
And at the Mind x The Ricky Hatton Foundation charity auction in London on Thursday night, Speak told the Mirror of future plans for the Foundation – including a charity football match in the autumn, which Hatton’s son will be playing at.
“There’ll be celebrities coming on board that we can’t announce just yet. Campbell will definitely be on the pitch though. He’s also involved in Misfits, of course. He’s doing really well.
“I think Ricky would be so proud of Campbell if he could see him now. Everyone needs a focus in life, and if this gives him that drive and keeps him out of trouble, it’s great for him.”
He added that the amount of love at the auction event for his late friend had made him deeply emotional.
“Obviously, I feel that he should be here himself, shouldn’t he? But yes, we live our grief in public because of who Ricky was. I miss him every day. I wish he was here.
“To be invited to this event was something else, to see someone bid £7,000 for a painting and have the money go to the Ricky Hatton Foundation has been humbling – seeing how much Ricky was loved by everybody who ever met him.”
Speak’s own relationship with Hatton began nearly thirty years ago and he admits, he’d never have dreamed that one day he would become the boxer’s manager and confidante.
“ We had some amazing times. It was life-changing in many ways for both of us. I’ll cherish the memories. There were lots of good times, but there were some bad times.
“Boxing is like life, you get knocked down, you try and get up, and you move forward. But sometimes you get knocked down and just can’t get up again, sadly.
Opening up about his late pal’s legacy, he says, “He’ll probably be remembered as Britain’s greatest boxer, not necessarily the best, but the greatest. People took Ricky to their hearts. People could talk to him about problems.
“He had his own struggles with mental health, as we know. But I think he helped to remove the stigma attached to that, to find the courage in difficult times and talk to someone about it.”
One memory he shares of Hatton, he says, is an example of the kind of warm-hearted man he was.
“We were in a van on the way to an event in Wigan, and he really needed the toilet. So, eventually I pulled up at a pub. Fifteen minutes went by, no sign of Ricky. So, I eventually went in and there he was, casually playing pool with the locals.
“I said Ricky, what are you doing, we’ve got somewhere to be?! He said, “Well, they asked me to join in, what could I do?! Don’t worry about it!”
“And that was his attitude to life. He loved people, he wasn’t afraid to make a fool of himself and have a joke, and he loved life.”
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