Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao pays tribute to former opponent Ricky Hatton.
Manny Pacquiao honored his former opponent, Ricky Hatton, remembering him as “a great fighter” and “a brave and kind man” after his passing.
Multiple world champion Ricky Hatton was found dead in his Manchester home on Sunday morning. The British boxing icon was 46 at the time of his passing. In the course of his boxing career, he had become iconic for his fights against Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, which are some of the biggest bouts in British boxing history.
Greater Manchester Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious. His death came two months after announcing that he was making his ring return 13 years after he retired.
He built an outstanding record of 45 wins and 3 losses, with 32 coming by knockout, highlighted by triumphs over world champions such as Kostya Tszyu and Luis Castillo. His defeats came from fights with Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Senchenko, Pacquiao in May 2009 and Mayweather Jr. in December 2007.
As his death brought extreme sadness to the world, especially to the British boxing community, Pacquiao paid tribute to his former opponent.
Pacquiao had a stunning second-round knockout of ‘The Hitman’ in Las Vegas in 2009, and recalling the journey, Pacman is thankful and felt “blessed to have been part of his wonderful journey.”
The Filipino boxing legend expressed how “deeply saddened” he was upon hearing the news and described him as “not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life.”
“We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honor the respect and sportsmanship he showed. Ricky fought bravely, not just in the ring, but in his journey through life,” he wrote, and added extending his prayers and deepest condolences to Hatton’s family and loved ones.
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