UK court opens inquest into death of boxer Ricky Hatton

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A court in Manchester on Thursday opened and adjourned an inquest into former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton's death.

Hatton died last month aged 46.

Details of the moment Hatton was found unresponsive were given at a hearing at Stockport Coroner’s Court as the inquest into his death was opened briefly and adjourned until March 20.

“This is a straightforward legal step that the law does require you to take to move on to the inquest next year," said Alison Mutch, senior coroner for Manchester South.

Hatton was discovered by his manager and long-time friend Paul Speak at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, on Sept. 14.

Speak drove there to take the former two-weight world champion to the airport for a flight to Dubai where he was due to make a comeback fight in December.

“The provisional cause of death is given as hanging,” Mutch said.

The court was told Hatton was last seen by his family on Sept. 12 and he appeared “well.”

But he did not attend an event he was expected to be at the following day. Speak went to his house on the morning of Sept. 14 where he was found unresponsive, police coroner’s officer Alison Catlow said.

Fans lined the streets of Manchester for Hatton's funeral procession last week. Sporting stars Tyson Fury, Amir Khan and Wayne Rooney, as well as Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher were among mourners who attended the service at the city cathedral.

News of his death came two months after the surprise announcement he would make a return to boxing in December in a professional bout against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai.

He hadn’t fought since losing for the third time in his career, against Vyacheslav Senchenko in 2012.

At the height of his career he won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and shared the ring with the best boxers of his generation including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Later he was open about his struggles with mental health.

In a statement after his death, Hatton’s family said he was “in a good place” and “excited for the future.”

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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