Ricky Hatton made tragic death admission before heartbreaking passing aged 46

Ricky Hatton previously admitted that he tried to kill himself after suffering a defeat to Manny Pacquiao. The boxing legend will be laid to rest today following his tragic death last month.

The Manchester-born champion was discovered dead at his home in Hyde with Greater Manchester Police confirming that his passing is not being treated as suspicious. News of Hatton's death sent shockwaves across the nation given how much he was adored thanks to his exploits in the ring and his cheerful personality outside it.

The former boxer, who was 46 at the time of his death, would have celebrated his 47th birthday on Monday which was just four days before his funeral. Despite his jovial character, Hatton was candid about his battles with mental health and addictionand it was in a 2022 interview with the BBC that he disclosed he attempted to commit suicide following his defeat to the Filipino legend in 2009.

Hatton explained: "I was suicidal. I tried killing myself several times. My problems happened when I got beat by Manny Pacquiao in two rounds, which ultimately meant 'Ricky, you need to retire now.'

"I had fell out with my parents, I'd fell out with my trainer Billy Graham, so that is when it go rock bottom. So I just went on the war path. I was suicidal. I tried killing myself several times, couldn't do it. So then I thought to myself I will drink and drug myself to death."

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Hatton's internal battles had affected him even before his 2009 bout as he confessed his 2007 defeat to Floyd Mayweather, the first of his professional career, sent him spiralling into alcohol and drug abuse, reports the Express.

Speaking on Loose Women in 2017, he said: "After the [Floyd] Mayweather fight I started drinking a lot more heavily and ultimately I fell out with my parents and that was difficult for me and I did not care if I lived or died.

"I contemplated suicide many, many times. I started thinking of different ways to get through it and I thought I could drink myself to death. So consequently I got more depressed and I ended up taking drugs to enable me to drink more and it was a vicious circle.

"It was my first taste of defeat as a pro after 35 fights. Even though it was Floyd Mayweather, I turned up thinking I was going to beat him. I became so used to success and then all of a sudden it was like 'I'm not used to this.'"

Hatton was devastatingly candid about his battle with depression as he revealed to the BBC in another interview: "I tried to kill myself several times. I used to go to the pub, come back, take the knife out and sit there in the dark crying hysterically."

However, Hatton managed to overcome his struggles and felt it was his duty to support others facing similar battles. He stated: "If a boxer can come out and say they're struggling and crying every day, it's going to make a huge difference. Having gone through it, I now see it as my job to help those suffering with mental health."

Before his untimely death,Hatton was preparing for a comeback to the ring after 13 years and was scheduled to fight United Arab Emirates boxer Eisa Al Dah in a professional match in December. As recently as August, he spoke about how his training for the bout inspired others who've wrestled with mental health and weight issues.

"It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I'm at," he shared. "Especially bearing in mind all my problems I've had personally with mental health and stuff like that. It was nice for so many people to come up to me and go, 'Oh, I've always struggled with my weight, and to see you get it off at your age.'

"I've always struggled with my mental health, and I've had my problems. And to see where you were a few years ago to what you're doing now, it's inspirational."