Boxing legend Ricky Hatton had already packed his bags in anticipation of a flight he was due to take the day after he took his own life, his son revealed today.
Campbell Hatton, 24, told an inquest at Stockport Coroner’s Court that he did not believe his father’s decision to end his life was ‘pre-meditated’.
Mr Hatton had also made plans to visit his parents on his return from his trip to Dubai, where he was visiting to organise a comeback flight.
The star died at his £1.7million mansion in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on September 14 aged 46. His body was found ‘unresponsive’ by his long–time manager and friend Paul Speak early that morning.
In a statement read to the court this afternoon, Campbell described his father as a ‘happy laid back chap, except when it came to sport and competition.’
He said he lived life at 110 per cent, in and out of the ring, but added that, once he retired from boxing, Mr Hatton had ‘mental health battles’ and ‘issues with alcohol and cocaine’.
Campbell said he felt his father was in ‘best place for years’ but family members had noticed ‘significant decline in his short term memory’ over the previous two years.
This meant he ‘repeated things constantly’ and had to ‘write things down or needed reminding about what he was doing day to day’, including on the evening before his death.
Ricky Hatton smiles during a press day at Bettabodies Gym in Denton, Manchester, in 2007
(From left) Hatton’s agent Paul Speak, his father Ray and son Campbell outside the court today
Ricky Hatton’s former partner Jennifer Dooley arrives at Stockport Coroner’s Court today
Campbell, who attended the hearing, added: ‘He was always generous with people who he loved being around, always extremely well-loved and cherished by all of us.’
Mr Hatton’s family and friends were in court, including Hatton’s father Ray, 75, his brother Matthew, 44, ex-girlfriend Jennifer Dooley, 44, and Mr Speak.
A previous hearing was told that Mr Hatton, who lived alone, was last seen alive by family members on September 12.
According to them he had ‘appeared well’ but he failed to attend an event he had been expected at the following day.
On the morning of September 14, Mr Speak arrived at the house to take him to Manchester Airport for a flight.
But Mr Hatton was found ‘unresponsive’ with a ‘ligature’ around his neck.
In the days after Mr Hatton’s death, Mr Speak told Boxing News he thought his friend had overslept when he could not raise him for the journey to the airport to catch a flight to Dubai.
He said: ‘The lights weren’t on, which I thought was strange. I thought he’d overslept, it’s not unusual. People do oversleep.
‘So, I went inside – I have a key – shouting, ‘Rick, Rick, wake up!” heard music coming from upstairs, so I went upstairs. I took a look at him. I had to take some time to process.
Hatton’s son Campbell and his father Ray outside Stockport Coroner’s Court this morning
Hatton’s brother Matthew and his partner Jenna Coyne at Stockport Coroner’s Court today
Hatton’s agent Paul Speak at Stockport Coroner’s Court this morning ahead of the inquest
‘I was in a state of shock and confusion and loss and many more emotions. Then I called the police and the ambulance.’
Mr Speak said Mr Hatton was ‘in a really good place’ before his death and had been preparing to take his daughters to see the band Oasis the following week.
He also had plans to travel to Thailand for a boxing convention and to visit Tenerife for Christmas.
However, his main focus was in Dubai, where he was due to travel to sign a contract to take part in a come-back fight, in December, against Abu Dhabi’s Eisa Al Dah.
Following Mr Hatton’s death, his 24-year-old son Campbell told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that the family were struggling to comprehend what had happened.
Opening up about his grief, he said: ‘It has been very up and down, really, but just as a family, we’re trying to take each day at a time, really.’
Stars such as Liam Gallagher, Wayne Rooney and Tyson Fury were among those in the congregation for a private memorial service at Manchester Cathedral in October.
Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, Hatton was an aggressive and brave fighter who held multiple world and UK titles between 1997 and 2012.
The Mancunian was renowned for his 2005 victory over Kostya Tszyu, in his home town, which made him become a boxing legend overnight and won him an army of loyal fans.
The coffin is carried out of Manchester Cathedral after Ricky Hatton’s funeral last October 10
A family photograph from the Sky programme ‘At Home With The Hattons’ shows Ricky Hatton with (from left) partner Jennifer Dooley, father Ray, Hatton with his son Campbell, his mother Carol, brother Matthew’s girlfriend Jenna and brother Matthew holding his son Jack in 2008
Reflecting on the love shown for Ricky at his funeral, Campbell added: ‘He always said he was more proud of his fanbase than all the belts and his titles.
‘Surprised is probably the wrong word because it was obvious how much he was loved by the amount of people that followed him all over the world to watch him box.
‘To actually see everyone in the streets, it was a very long route that we went down, and there was never a point where the streets weren’t full. To actually see it in terms of the amount of people, it was surreal really.’
Tributes were shared by the Campbell, who followed his father into the boxing ring, as well as his daughters Fearne, 12, and Millie, 13, at the service.
Last month Campbell, who retired from the sport last year, confirmed he would be stepping back into the ring as part of a tribute fight for his father when he takes on Kell Brook in Dubai next month.
His boxer cousins Jack and Lola – the children of Hatton’s brother Matthew – also set to take part in the ‘Destiny in the Desert’ fight night.
Mr Hatton, who was awarded an MBE for services to sport in 2007, had spoken at length about his mental health struggles and how he’d suffered from suicidal thoughts and problems with addiction in the past.
However, shortly before his death friends believed he was in a better place and his final post on Instagram showed him keeping fit in the gym ahead of a highly anticipated return to the ring.
He was also filmed an uplifting video in his final week for a child who was the victim of bullying.
Mr Speak said: ‘If this was 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have been as big a shock as it was. I’ve been with Ricky to the very highest mountains in boxing to the lowest chasm in life.’
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