This is an accepted version of this page
 Hatton in 2009 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
Nicknames | |
| Born | Richard John Hatton (1978-10-06)6 October 1978 Stockport,Greater Manchester, England |
| Died | c. 14 September 2025(2025-09-14) (aged 46) |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)[1] |
| Weight | |
| Boxing career | |
| Reach | 65 in (165 cm)[1] |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 48 |
| Wins | 45 |
| Win by KO | 32 |
| Losses | 3 |
Richard John Hatton (6 October 1978 –c. 14 September 2025), also known by nicknames such as "The Hitman", "The Pride of Hyde" and the "People's Champion", was a Britishprofessional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and later worked as a boxingpromoter andtrainer.[6][7] During his boxing career he held multiple world championships in thelight-welterweight division, and one atwelterweight. In 2005 he was named Fighter of the Year byThe Ring magazine, theBoxing Writers Association of America,ESPN, andBoxingScene.[8]
In 2000 Hatton won theBritish light welterweight title, followed by theWorld Boxing Union (WBU) title the following year; he made a record fifteen successful defences of the latter from 2001 to 2004. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2005 by defeatingKostya Tszyu for theInternational Boxing Federation (IBF),Ring andlineal titles. This was followed up later that year with a victory overCarlos Maussa to claim theWorld Boxing Association (WBA) title (Super version), thereby becoming a unified light-welterweight world champion.
Making his welterweight debut in 2006, Hatton won a tough fight against WBA championLuis Collazo to win a world title in his second weight class. A return to light welterweight in 2007 saw him win the vacant IBF title for a second time, as well as theInternational Boxing Organization (IBO) title. In the same year, Hatton had his career-first defeat againstFloyd Mayweather Jr. in an attempt to win theWorld Boxing Council (WBC),Ring and lineal welterweight titles. This defeat took a severe toll on Hatton's wellbeing, as did a second defeat in 2009 when he lost his IBO,Ring and lineal light welterweight titles toManny Pacquiao.
After Hatton's career was put on a long hiatus, rumours of a comeback continued to circulate in the media over the next several years.[9][10] In 2011, Hatton announced his retirement from the sport,[11][12] but in 2012, more than three years after his last fight, he confirmed his comeback.[13] A loss toVyacheslav Senchenko in his first match back prompted Hatton to immediately announce his final retirement.[14] He remained retired for 13 years before announcing a comeback in July 2025. Hatton died by suicide before he could make his ring return.[15][16]
Hatton was lauded as one of the most beloved and popular British boxers of all time, with a raucous fan base that travelled in their tens of thousands across the Atlantic to support him.[12][17][18] He was inducted into theInternational Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2024.[19]
Richard John Hatton was born on 6 October 1978 inStockport, Greater Manchester. He grew up in a pub on theHattersleycouncil estate inHyde.[20][21] He first trained at the Sale West ABC (Racecourse Estate). He was educated at Hattersley High School. His grandfather and his father both playedfootball forRochdale and Hatton had a trial for theyouth team. He found a local boxing club in Hyde to train at. Aged 14, Ricky Hatton was taken by his uncles Ged and Paul toManchester United'sOld Trafford stadium to watch the second fight betweenNigel Benn andChris Eubank. On leaving school he joined the family carpet business, but after he cut four of his fingers with aStanley knife, his father made him a salesman to prevent him from losing his fingers.[22]
Hatton had a shortamateur career, in which he won seven British titles and represented his country at the 1996AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.[23] His elimination in the semi-finals caused controversy. Four of the five judges awarded the contest to Hatton, but under the scoring rules Hatton was defeated as the fifth judge gave the match to Hatton's opponent by 16 points. The judge was later found to have accepted a bribe, and disillusioned with the amateur governing bodies, Hatton turned professional, aged 18.[24] Hatton was based at Billy "The Preacher" Graham's gym inMoss Side in Manchester,[23] where fellow boxers includedCarl Thompson andMichael Gomez.[25]
Hatton made his professional debut on 11 September 1997 against Colin McAuley inWidnes at Kingsway Leisure Centre. Hatton won by atechnical knockout (TKO) in the first round,[26] while in his second fight he boxed atMadison Square Garden in New York, as part of the undercard toNaseem Hamed vs. Kevin Kelley.[26] Soon he was fighting on the undercard of contests involving major British boxers, such as the twoWBO cruiserweight title fights betweenCarl Thompson andChris Eubank in 1998.[27] In 1999 the British Boxing Writers' Club named Hatton their Young Boxer of the Year.[28] His first international title came in May 1999, when he defeated Dillon Carew for the WBO inter-continental light-welterweight title.[29]
Hatton's next four fights after gaining the WBO inter-continental belt were all won within four rounds.[24] He then gained theWBA Inter-Continental title following a unification bout againstGiuseppe Lauri.[30] The following month he foughtJon Thaxton for the vacantBritish title. Despite sustaining a cut over his left eye in the first round, Hatton continued for the full twelve rounds and won on points, the first time in his career that he had been taken beyond six rounds.[31] As the cut was his fourth above the same eye, Hatton had plastic surgery on his eyebrow that November, with a view to a world title shot in the spring.[32] Hatton claimed the vacantWBU title in March 2001, having sent opponentTony Pep to the canvas three times in the process.[33]
On 5 June 2005, Hatton defeatedIBF andThe Ring championKostya Tszyu, then widely regarded as one of the toppound-for-pound boxers in the world, by a TKO after the Australian failed to answer the bell for the twelfth round.[34] Hatton was a heavy underdog for this fight and the victory announced his entry to theupper echelons of the world boxing scene. Prior to the fight, the majority of boxing critics had given Hatton little or no chance and this victory was regarded as one of the best victories by an English boxer in the last 20 years.[35]
On 26 November 2005, Hatton won theWBA light-welterweight title when he defeatedCarlos Maussa in the ninth round of aunification bout.[36] In December, Hatton was named the 2005Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year.[37]
Hatton relinquished his IBF title on 29 March 2006 after refusing to fulfil amandatory defence against number one contenderNaoufel Ben Rabah because he intended to move up to thewelterweight division.[38] Hatton signed a three-fight contract with Dennis Hobson's fight academy after splitting from long time promoterFrank Warren.[39]
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Hatton moved up a division to meet AmericanLuis Collazo for theWBA welterweight title which took place on 13 May 2006.[40] Hatton won the WBA title from Collazo but struggled. Hatton started well, knocking Collazo down in the very first few seconds of the first round,[41] but it turned out to be one of the toughest fights of his career, with some boxing analysts claiming Collazo won the fight,[41] although many thought Hatton had done enough early on to secure victory, with the knockdown a pivotal point in the fight.[42]
Hatton's first fight back at light-welterweight was against then IBF light-welterweight championJuan Urango for his title and the vacantIBO title on 20 January 2007 inLas Vegas,Nevada. Hatton's promoter, Dennis Hobson, stated that the impetus for moving back down was to set up a fight withJosé Luis Castillo, a fighter who nearly beatFloyd Mayweather Jr. atlightweight in 2002.[43]Hatton ended up winning a twelve-roundunanimous decision (UD) against Urango to re-capture the IBF light-welterweight title. He won all but one round on all three judges' scorecards.[44] Castillo, who was on the undercard, also won, setting up their long-awaited fight.[44]
Hatton was forced to relinquish his IBF title again on 10 February to be able to fight Castillo. The fight was held on 23 June 2007, at theThomas & Mack Center inParadise, Nevada.[45] In round four, Hatton landed a "perfect" left hook to the liver, which put Castillo to the canvas.[46] Hatton later said that four of Castillo's ribs were broken with this one punch. Unable to stand up, Castillo was counted out for the first time in his career.[47]
Hatton agreed to terms on 27 July for an 8 December 2007 welterweight fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr.[48] which was considered to be the biggest welterweight fight since the 1999 clash betweenOscar De La Hoya andTito Trinidad. TheMGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas was announced as the venue on 17 August 2007. The fight was agreed to less than three months after Mayweather had said he planned to retire following a victory over Oscar De La Hoya. Hatton was able to bring the fight to Mayweather in the early rounds. In the 1st round, Hatton caught Mayweather with a left jab which knocked Mayweather off balance.[49] His constant pressure appeared to make Mayweather uncomfortable at first. In the third round, Mayweather landed a right that cut Hatton above the right eye.[50]
In round six, refereeJoe Cortez took a point away from Hatton after he appeared to hit Mayweather on the back of the head while Mayweather was rested between the ropes.[51] However, the punch was revealed to have hit the rope rather than Mayweather's head, but Hatton was warned for punching behind the head on numerous occasions before the deduction. Hatton became infuriated at the referee's decision to deduct a point and turned his back on him. Hatton later said he was angered by the referee, which caused him to lose his calm and contributed to his downfall.[52] Hatton was able to hold his own until round eight, when Mayweather began to adapt to Hatton and started counterattacking. Mayweather knocked Hatton down to the mat in round ten.[53] Hatton got up, but Mayweather quickly resumed his attack, resulting in Joe Cortez putting a stop to the fight and Hatton's corner threw in the towel. Official scorecards read 88–82, 89–81, and 89–81 at the time of stoppage, all in favour of Mayweather.[54]
On 24 May 2008, Hatton beat MexicanJuan Lazcano by UD with scores of 120–110, 118–110, and 120–108,[55] in front of his home crowd of 55,000 (a post-World War II record for aboxing match in Britain),[56] atCity of Manchester Stadium to retainThe Ring and IBO light-welterweight titles.[57]Hatton did well when he boxed and controlled the range, utilising his jab and dominating a lot of the early exchanges. In round eight, Hatton absorbed a left hook to the chin that wobbled him. In round ten, Hatton was hurt again by a left hook.[57][58] Despite that, Hatton outworked Lazcano to win at least ten of the rounds.
Hatton foughtPaulie Malignaggi of the United States at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on 22 November 2008 for Hatton'sThe Ring light-welterweight title.[59] He was trained for the fight byFloyd Mayweather Sr.[60] Hatton dominated for all of the fight and defeated Malignaggi by eleventh-round TKO when Malignaggi's trainer,Buddy McGirt, threw in the towel 48 seconds into the round.[61]
Hatton foughtManny Pacquiao on 2 May 2009 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The fight was at light-welterweight, which was the sixth weight category Pacquiao has fought at and is the weight at which Hatton was previously undefeated.[62] Pacquiao defeated Hatton in the second round by a KO victory after knocking Hatton down twice in the first round, and then a final time in the second round. Following the loss to Pacquiao, Hatton put his career on hiatus. After more than a year out of action, in a June 2010 interview withGulfnews.com, the British boxer seemed uninterested in coming to the ring again. He stated: "Boxing started off as a habit and it ended up giving me some money and making me a little bit of a better person. But I don't think I will have a fight again. But you can never say never as I have not announced officially that I won't be boxing. At the moment I don't have any fire in the belly for a fight or to get myself to a gym." However, Hatton also added: "But it has been only 13 months and I am only 31, so never count me out."[63]
Hatton also voiced suspicion that Pacquiao might have been using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Hatton said he should have made the same blood testing demand as Floyd Mayweather Jr., whose fight against Pacquiao fell through in early 2010.[64] However, theNevada Athletic Commission (NAC) cited a medical analysis which supported Pacquiao's decision to abstain from blood testing similar to that demanded by Mayweather, stating that drawing blood close to a fight may cause "hematomas, infections or other injuries."[64] Hatton also admitted that he underestimated Pacquiao and that "it could be that he is just a great fighter who has improved."[64]
On 14 September 2012, Hatton confirmed he would return to professional boxing with a fight against an unnamed opponent scheduled to take place in November that year.[13][65][66] Tickets for the comeback sold out in two days,[67] before the opponent or undercard were announced.[68] His opponent was later revealed to beVyacheslav Senchenko. Having reached a maximum weight of nearly 15 stone (95 kg),[69] in the months leading up to his comeback, Hatton underwent a significant weight transformation. He reduced his weight from 15 stone 6 pounds (approximately 98 kg) to 10 stone 7 pounds (67 kg) to meet the welterweight limit for his fight.[70]
Hatton started the fight the stronger of the pair, but did not time his shots well.[71] Senchenko used his superior reach to land jabs, and gained the upper hand as the fight progressed.[72] In the ninth round, a left hook to the body sent Hatton to the floor. Knocked down by the type of punch previously viewed as his own signature, Hatton was counted out by the referee.[73] It was the third time Hatton had been stopped, taking his overall record to 45 wins and 3 defeats.[74] He announced his final retirement from the ring immediately afterwards,[7][72] saying "I needed one more fight to see if I had still got it – and I haven't. I found out tonight it isn't there no more."[71]
On 6 July 2025, Hatton announced that he was coming out of retirement at the age of 46. The fight was to take place inDubai,United Arab Emirates on 2 December 2025 against 46-year-old Eisa Al Dah (8–3, 4 KOs). Speaking on the comeback, Hatton said: "I'm very much looking forward to it myself. What you're trying to do there for boxing in Dubai is fantastic. Hopefully this will be a spinoff for more events for you to have over there and hopefully we can get the ball rolling with a bang." The fight was announced via a virtual face-off, as Hatton was unable to travel due to injury. Al Dah, who was also the promoter, had not fought since 2021, when he was stopped by Mexican journeyman Pedro Delgado in the first round.[75][76][15]
Hatton was a passionate supporter ofManchester City and once had a trial at City for the youth team.[77] His entrance music was the club's song "Blue Moon" as performed by the band "Supra".[78]
Regarding his nickname, Hatton said, "I've always been a fan ofTommy Hearns, and everybody associates that that's where I got it from, but everybody's a Tommy Hearns fan. I got the nickname the first day I walked in the gym. I was 10 years old and put a pair of gloves on and started walloping the bag, and my amateur coach said, "Look at him, look how evil he is. He's a little Hitman."[79]
Hatton was sometimes referred to by boxing fans as "Ricky Fatton"[80] because he was known to allow himself to weigh as much as 175 to 180 pounds (35 to 40 pounds over his fight weight) when not in training for a fight. Since turning professional, Hatton opted to eat a fullEnglish breakfast before fights – his favourite place in Hyde was The Butty Box in Mottram Road, where he was interviewed byGabby Logan forInside Sport; and was known to drinkGuinness on Thursday nights when he playeddarts for the New Inn. Experts used his ill-balanced diet, akin toJake LaMotta's ballooning up between fights, to explain his poor performances in later fights and his tendency to tire towards the end of fights.[81] Hatton appeared onITV's daytime showLoose Women in August 2007, stating that the reason he put on weight between fights was because "I have a lot on my plate at the moment."[82]
Hatton appeared on theFriday Night with Jonathan Ross show in March 2007. Interviewed onITV1'sParkinson on 13 October 2007, at the beginning of the interview, Hatton handedMichael Parkinson a custom-made pair of boxing shorts with "Mike" and "Parky" written on them. The shorts had theBarnsley emblem on them and were coloured red and blue, Barnsley Football Club's colours, because Parkinson was a Barnsley fan.[citation needed] While talking about Floyd Mayweather's arrogance, Hatton said: "If there's such a thing asreincarnation, Floyd will come back as himself."[83]
Hatton received theMBE for services to sport in the2007 New Year Honours.[84]
In 2008, he started hosting his ownlive chat show calledRicky Speaks,[85] onNuts TV. His father, Ray Hatton, said, "We had a conversation with a third party asking whether, if we were approached by the Mayweather team, would a possible rematch be on the cards."[86] Ray Hatton added, "Really, at the moment we're looking at Manny Pacquiao. It's very nice for Ricky to still be in such a big league."[87]
Hatton hosted the 9 November 2009 edition ofWWE Raw at theSheffield Arena, defeating professional wrestlerChavo Guerrero Jr. in a match.[88]
On 13 September 2010, Hatton was admitted to a rehabilitation facility,The Priory, inRoehampton, southwest London, forsubstance abuse to tackle a drink andclinical depression problem. He was caught on camera apparently snortingClass A drugs,cocaine, in aManchester hotel room. Doctors said they were more worried about his clinical depression andalcohol abuse than drug use. Hatton sought medical help two weeks prior after news emerged about a night out where he drank eleven pints of Guinness,vodka andsambuca during the night out with Emma Bowe, 29, the Irish national senior women's boxing champion.[89]
In December 2016, Hatton said that he had tried to kill himself on several occasions due to depression, stating: "I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train."[90]
In January 2024, Hatton competed in thesixteenth series of theITV skating competitionDancing on Ice.[91] He was paired with professional skaterRobin Johnstone, and the pair were the first couple to be eliminated after losing the skate-off toLou Sanders andBrendyn Hatfield.[92] He subsequently began a relationship with fellow contestant, actressClaire Sweeney, however they split later in December of that year.[93][94]
In 2023 a documentary made by Dan Dewsbury, entitledHatton, was released exclusively onSky TV. It explored Hatton's career, focusing especially on his relationship with trainer Billy Graham. Well received by both audiences and critics, the programme was nominated in 2024 for theBAFTA in the Single Documentary category.[95]
As of 2008, Hatton's mother, Carol, still worked on the carpet stall onGlossop Market in thePeak District. His father, Ray, was his manager,[96] and manages Hatton's brother and fellow boxerMatthew Hatton. Ricky Hatton and his girlfriend, Jennifer Dooley, lived in his house, theHeartbreak Hotel, named after his favourite artist,Elvis Presley, in Hyde.[97]
Hatton was estranged from his parents for several years due to a dispute about money. In his autobiographyWar and Peace: My Story, Hatton said that his father punched him in the face during a confrontation in a car park in 2012. The family feud was healed in 2019.[98]
Hatton had three children.[98] Hatton's sonCampbell, born in 2001, was conceived after a short reconciliation with ex-girlfriend Claire. Hatton set up atrust fund to make sure his son was always provided for and saw him every day.[99][better source needed] He had two daughters with Dooley: Millie and Fearne.[98][100]
Campbell pursued a career in professional boxing. During his boxing career, Campbell was trained by Ricky's brother,Matthew.[101] However, during an interview in July 2025, Hatton confirmed his son's retirement from boxing.[102]
On 12 September 2010, the Sunday tabloidNews of the World published a front-page story alleging Hatton had been a regularcocaine user with accompanying pictures showing the boxer apparently using the drug.[103][104] Hatton was said to be "devastated" following the story.[105]
In December 2013, Hatton became the patron of Manchester-basedChristian charityBarnabus that offers support to homeless and vulnerable people through its drop-in centre.[106]
Hatton attracted many fans who were very vocal in their support during fights. The main chant was a modified version of theChristmas song "Winter Wonderland", with the lyrics changed to promote Hatton.[107]
Along with Floyd Mayweather, Hatton is referenced by the American rapperGZA on the track "Paper Plate" off of his fifth studio album,Pro Tools (2008).[108][109]
Hatton operated his own boxing promotions company,Hatton Promotions, which managed a number of fighters including Anthony Upton, Sonny Upton,Paul Upton,Lucas Browne, Cameron Hammond,Damien Hooper,Zhanat Zhakiyanov,Adam Etches,Matty Askin, Scott Jenkins,Sergey Rabchenko andRyan Burnett. On 11 February 2017, Zhakiyanov became the first fighter under Hatton Promotions, as well as trained by Hatton, to become world champion when he defeatedRau'shee Warren bysplit decision (SD) to win theWBA bantamweight title.[110]
Hatton was a boxing manager and trainer. He was the trainer ofNathan Gorman who is the great nephew of the Welsh bare-knuckle boxerBartley Gorman, Zhanat Zhakiyanov, and Irish champion Paul Upton.[111] Hatton was also the trainer ofTommy Fury, the younger brother ofTyson Fury, and was in the corner of Tyson forhis fight against Deontay Wilder in 2018.[112] On 1 December 2023, Hatton guidedChloe Watson to a unanimous decision win over Justine Lallemand to claim the vacantEuropean female flyweight title.[113]
Hatton was last seen on 12 September 2025 and he failed to attend a scheduled event on 13 September. His body was discovered at hisGee Cross home on the morning of 14 September by his manager and keyholder, Paul Speak, who had intended to accompany him toManchester Airport for his flight to a press conference inDubai, regarding his planned December comeback fight.[114][115][116]
Hatton's funeral took place at midday on 10 October atManchester Cathedral following a public procession through Greater Manchester. The route, which had been published in advance, drew large crowds and began in Hyde and passed through several landmarks that were significant to him during his lifetime. The procession was preceded by Hatton's cherished 'Trotters'Reliant Regal Van fromOnly Fools and Horses, which he owned and would often drive around his hometown. Following the service, the cortège made a final stop at theEtihad Stadium, where Hatton had long supported Manchester City.[117]
At the opening of the inquest into Hatton's death at Stockport Coroner's Court on 16 October, senior coroner Alison Mutch said they are awaiting the final cause of death, but it was indicated ashanging.[118][119] The inquest was adjourned until 20 March 2026.[115]
Manager and promoterFrank Warren and several former world champions, includingTyson Fury,Anthony Joshua,Manny Pacquiao,Amir Khan and his idolRoberto Durán, paid tribute.[120][121][122] On 22 September,Tameside Council initiated abook of condolence atHyde Town Hall. The Civic Mayor, Councillor Shibley Alam, was the first to sign the book the week prior. Once completed, it would be presented to Hatton's family.[123]
On the afternoon of 14 September,Manchester City andManchester United observed a minute of appreciation before they played theirPremier League game. With Hatton being a City supporter,Phil Foden dedicated their 3–0 win to him, saying that he had "extra motivation going into the game" and "the lads gave everything".[124]
On 27 September, prior to Manchester City's home game againstBurnley, the club and fans again paid tribute to Hatton. A large banner depicting the boxer was unfurled by home supporters in the East Stand. The display, organised by fan group 1894, showed Hatton in the ring wearing City branded shorts next to the words "The People's Champion". There was also a banner on the third tier of the East Stand reading "There's only one Ricky Hatton". Members of Hatton's family, including son, Campbell, his two daughters and granddaughter, attended the game. A silhouette of Hatton was also shown on the big screens inside as City supporters sang "Blue Moon" ahead of kick-off.[125]
On 27 and 28 September,Oasis dedicated their 1994 song "Live Forever" to Hatton, at their concerts atWembley Stadium.Richard Ashcroft, who was acting as one of the bands supporting acts, also dedicated "Bittersweet Symphony" to Hatton.[126]
| 48 fights | 45 wins | 3 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 32 | 3 |
| By decision | 12 | 0 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | Loss | 45–3 | Vyacheslav Senchenko | KO | 9 (10),2:52 | 24 Nov 2012 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England | |
| 47 | Loss | 45–2 | Manny Pacquiao | KO | 2 (12),2:59 | 2 May 2009 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US | Lost IBO andThe Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 46 | Win | 45–1 | Paulie Malignaggi | TKO | 11 (12),0:48 | 22 Nov 2008 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US | Retained IBO andThe Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 45 | Win | 44–1 | Juan Lazcano | UD | 12 | 24 May 2008 | City Stadium, Manchester, England | Retained IBO andThe Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 44 | Loss | 43–1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | TKO | 10 (12),1:35 | 8 Dec 2007 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US | ForWBC andThe Ring welterweight titles |
| 43 | Win | 43–0 | José Luis Castillo | KO | 4 (12),2:16 | 23 Jun 2007 | Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, US | Retained IBO andThe Ring light-welterweight titles; Won vacantWBC International light-welterweight title |
| 42 | Win | 42–0 | Juan Urango | UD | 12 | 20 Jan 2007 | Paris,Paradise, US | RetainedThe Ring light-welterweight title; Won IBF and vacantIBO light-welterweight titles |
| 41 | Win | 41–0 | Luis Collazo | UD | 12 | 13 May 2006 | TD Garden,Boston, Massachusetts, US | WonWBA welterweight title |
| 40 | Win | 40–0 | Carlos Maussa | KO | 9 (12),1:10 | 26 Nov 2005 | Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England | Retained IBF andThe Ring light-welterweight titles; WonWBA (Unified) light-welterweight title |
| 39 | Win | 39–0 | Kostya Tszyu | RTD | 11 (12),3:00 | 4 Jun 2005 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | WonIBF andThe Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 38 | Win | 38–0 | Ray Oliveira | KO | 10 (12),1:38 | 11 Dec 2004 | ExCeL, London, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 37 | Win | 37–0 | Michael Stewart | TKO | 5 (12),2:57 | 1 Oct 2004 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 36 | Win | 36–0 | Carlos Wilfredo Vilches | UD | 12 | 12 Jun 2004 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 35 | Win | 35–0 | Dennis Holbæk Pedersen | TKO | 6 (12),2:32 | 3 Apr 2004 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 34 | Win | 34–0 | Ben Tackie | UD | 12 | 13 Dec 2003 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 33 | Win | 33–0 | Aldo Nazareno Rios | RTD | 9 (12),3:00 | 27 Sep 2003 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 32 | Win | 32–0 | Vince Phillips | UD | 12 | 5 Apr 2003 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 31 | Win | 31–0 | Joe Hutchinson | KO | 4 (12),1:16 | 14 Dec 2002 | Telewest Arena,Newcastle, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 30 | Win | 30–0 | Stephen Smith | DQ | 2 (12),0:28 | 28 Sep 2002 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title; Smith disqualified after his cornermen entered the ring |
| 29 | Win | 29–0 | Eamonn Magee | UD | 12 | 1 Jun 2002 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 28 | Win | 28–0 | Mikhail Krivolapov | TKO | 9 (12),2:31 | 9 Feb 2002 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 27 | Win | 27–0 | Justin Rowsell | TKO | 2 (12),0:36 | 15 Dec 2001 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 26 | Win | 26–0 | Freddie Pendleton | KO | 2 (12),2:40 | 27 Oct 2001 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 25 | Win | 25–0 | John Bailey | TKO | 5 (12),0:36 | 15 Sep 2001 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 24 | Win | 24–0 | Jason Rowland | KO | 4 (12),2:08 | 7 Jul 2001 | Manchester Velodrome, Manchester, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 23 | Win | 23–0 | Tony Pep | TKO | 4 (12),2:30 | 26 Mar 2001 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England | Won vacantWBU light-welterweight title |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Jon Thaxton | PTS | 12 | 21 Oct 2000 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England | Won vacantBritish light-welterweight title |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Giuseppe Lauri | TKO | 5 (12),1:57 | 23 Sep 2000 | York Hall, London, England | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title; WonWBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Gilbert Quiros | KO | 2 (12),1:48 | 10 Jun 2000 | Fox Theatre,Detroit, US | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Ambioris Figuero | TKO | 4 (12),0:49 | 16 May 2000 | Spectrum Arena,Warrington, England | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Pedro Alonso Teran | TKO | 4 (12),2:55 | 25 Mar 2000 | Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Leoncio Garces | TKO | 3 (8),1:37 | 29 Jan 2000 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Mark Winters | TKO | 4 (12),0:51 | 11 Dec 1999 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Bernard Paul | RTD | 4 (12),3:00 | 9 Oct 1999 | Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, England | Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Mark Ramsey | PTS | 6 | 17 Jul 1999 | The Dome Leisure Centre,Doncaster, England | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Dillon Carew | TKO | 5 (12),2:00 | 29 May 1999 | North Bridge Leisure Centre,Halifax, England | Won vacantWBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Brian Coleman | KO | 2 (10),1:18 | 3 Apr 1999 | Royal Albert Hall,London, England | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Tommy Peacock | TKO | 2 (10),2:21 | 27 Feb 1999 | Sports Centre,Oldham, England | Won vacantCentral Arealight-welterweight title |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Paul Denton | TKO | 6 (8),0:19 | 19 Dec 1998 | Everton Park Sports Centre,Liverpool, England | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Kevin Carter | TKO | 1 (6) | 31 Oct 1998 | Bally's Park Place,Atlantic City, US | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Pascal Montulet | KO | 2 (6) | 19 Sep 1998 | Arena Oberhausen,Oberhausen, Germany | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Anthony Campbell | PTS | 6 | 18 Jul 1998 | Ponds Forge,Sheffield, England | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Mark Ramsey | PTS | 6 | 30 May 1998 | Whitchurch Leisure Centre, Bristol, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Karl Taylor | TKO | 1 (6),1:45 | 18 Apr 1998 | MEN Arena,Manchester, England | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Paul Salmon | TKO | 1 (4),1:47 | 27 Mar 1998 | Ice Rink,Telford, England | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | David Thompson | TKO | 1 (4),1:25 | 17 Jan 1998 | Whitchurch Leisure Centre,Bristol, England | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Robbie Alvarez | UD | 4 | 19 Dec 1997 | Madison Square Garden,New York City, US | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Colin McAuley | RTD | 1 (4),3:00 | 11 Sep 1997 | Kingsway Leisure Centre,Widnes, England |
| 1 fight | 0 wins | 0 losses |
|---|---|---|
| Non-scored | 1 | |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | N/a | 0–0(1) | Marco Antonio Barrera | N/a | 8 | 12 Nov 2022 | Manchester Arena,Manchester, England | Non-scored bout[127] |
| No. | Date | Fight | Billing | Buys | Network | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 Dec 2007 | Mayweather vs. Hatton | Undefeated | 920,000[128] | HBO | United States |
| 1,150,000[129] | Sky Box Office | United Kingdom | ||||
| 2 | 2 May 2009 | Pacquiao vs. Hatton | The Battle of East and West | 850,000[130] | HBO | United States |
| 900,000[131] | Sky Box Office | United Kingdom | ||||
| Total sales | 3,820,000 | |||||
| Sporting positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional boxing titles | ||||
| Vacant Title last held by Dean Bramhald | Central Area light-welterweight champion 27 February 1999 – May 1999 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Tony Montana | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Emanuel Augustus | WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight champion 29 May 1999 – October 2000 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Ebo Elder | ||
| Preceded by | WBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight champion 23 September 2000 – October 2000 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Khalid Rahilou | ||
| Preceded by | British light-welterweight champion 21 October 2000 – March 2001 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Junior Witter | ||
| Minor world boxing titles | ||||
| Vacant Title last held by Jason Rowland | WBU light-welterweight champion 26 March 2001 – 2005 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Lee McAllister | ||
| Vacant Title last held by Stevie Johnston | IBO light-welterweight champion 20 January 2007 –2 May 2009 | Succeeded by | ||
| Major world boxing titles | ||||
| Preceded by | IBF light-welterweight champion 4 June 2005 – 29 March 2006 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Juan Urango | ||
| The Ring light-welterweight champion 4 June 2005 – 2 May 2009 | Succeeded by Manny Pacquiao | |||
| Preceded byaschampion | WBA light-welterweight champion Super title 26 November 2005 – 4 May 2006 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Amir Khan | ||
| Preceded by | WBA welterweight champion 13 May 2006 – 31 August 2006 Vacated | Vacant Title next held by Miguel Cotto | ||
| Preceded by Juan Urango | IBF light-welterweight champion 20 January 2007 – 11 February 2007 Stripped | Vacant Title next held by Lovemore N'dou | ||
| Awards | ||||
| Previous: Glen Johnson | The Ring Fighter of the Year 2005 | Next: Manny Pacquiao | ||
| BWAA Fighter of the Year 2005 | ||||
| ESPN Fighter of the Year 2005 | ||||
| British status | ||||
| Preceded by | Latest born world champion to die September 14, 2025 – present | Incumbent | ||
| Junior welterweight status | ||||
| Preceded by | Latest born world champion to die September 14, 2025 – present | Incumbent | ||
| Welterweight status | ||||
| Preceded by | Latest born world champion to die September 14, 2025 – present | Incumbent | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
