Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell says his family have been taking comfort in public support and the memories of a stellar career since the British boxing great’s death last month.
Former world welterweight champion Hatton died aged 46 at his home in Hyde on September 14, just three months before he was due to make his professional comeback in Dubai.
Campbell, whose retirement after 19 fights was confirmed earlier this year, admits the devastating news is still sinking in.
“We’re absolutely heartbroken, as you can imagine. It’s so unexpected and we had so many big plans coming, so it’s knocked us all for six,” he told Granada Reports.
“We’re just trying to be there for each other at the minute. The outpouring of support from absolutely everyone has been amazing, so that’s helping us through a lot. But we’re absolutely heartbroken.
“To so many he was Ricky Hatton the boxer, but to me he was just dad and to the family he was Richard.
“We can’t get our heads around things at the minute, it’s absolutely awful. It’s hard to explain.
“You see all the clips from years ago on social media, the old memories we hadn’t seen for years and as much as it’s heartbreaking, it brings a smile to our faces.
“Especially with dad being the character he was, doing the things he would in the build up when you would see his sense of humour shining through. That gives us a lot of comfort, as hard as it is.”
Details of the procession route ahead of Hatton’s funeral at Manchester Cathedral on October 10 have been released and Campbell is hoping to see a big turn out as people pay their respects to the former two-weight champion.
“That’s exactly what he would have wanted. He saw his biggest achievement in boxing as his fanbase, that’s what he was most proud of,” he said.
“He would want the street to be filled with people, there celebrating his life. Everything he did, he did for his fans.”
