A Final Farewell to Ricky Hatton – A True Legend in and out of the Ring

*A final farewell to Ricky Hatton – surrounded by love, respect, and admiration from thousands.*

I am happy that I attended the funeral of a true boxing legend. Ricky Hatton. It was a final farewell to a man whose impact went far beyond his incredible career. What a turnout it was, people in their thousands, all there to honour a fighter, a friend, and a personality who touched so many lives.

As a former boxer, I understood the personal and mental challenges that Ricky spoke about over the years. Boxing is not just a sport of physical endurance, it is a test of the mind and spirit. Behind every punch thrown in the ring, there is a man or woman fighting their own internal battles. Ricky was open about those struggles, and that honesty made him loved even more.

*Dave Walker WBC Official Merchandise UK, Geraldine Davies Gdi Management, Scott Welch, Mickey Helliet, Derek Williams and Julius Francis sharing stories, memories, and respect for Ricky’s legacy.*

I remember back in 2007, just before Ricky’s mega fight with Floyd Mayweather Jnr. At the time, I was running my personal training sessions in Waterloo, London. One afternoon, I was out for lunch and noticed a young man walking ahead of me, pulling a trolley bag. There was something familiar about the way he moved, the structure, the posture and yes, it was Ricky.

I called out his name, and to my surprise, he turned around and said, “Sweet D!” I was taken aback, as we had never met before. He was in London for meetings, and we spoke briefly before he came into the gym.

The next time we met was years later, at a press conference, both of us, licensed boxing managers. Our fighters, Nathan Gorman and Dominic Akinlade, were set to face each other. As always, Ricky carried himself with respect and honour. We shook hands, spoke about the business of boxing, and shared mutual appreciation for the sport that shaped our lives.

Over the years, the thoughts and emotions Ricky carried, only he truly knew. And that is something that resonates deeply with me. Today, as a therapist and counsellor, I work with clients who face personal and emotional challenges. I have come to understand how critical it is to talk, to share, and to be supported, especially for athletes who have lived life in the spotlight and then stepped away from it.

I also serve as a trustee at the Ringside Charitable Trust, an organisation dedicated to supporting the boxing fraternity. Because when you look deeper into a boxer’s psyche, you realise that regardless of whether a fighter was an elite world champion or someone who never quite made it to the top, the struggles are often the same.

The mental toll, the physical wear, the sudden loss of purpose after retirement, these are battles that do not make headlines. The Ringside Charitable Trust is there to help all boxers and the boxing family to find stability, dignity and care.

I know what it feels like to land a punch and to take one. I was fortunate to retire healthy and I now dedicate my time to positive causes. I am also chairman at the Pedro Club, where we continue supporting young people and the wider community, work which was lead by my friend, James Cook MBE another incredible man and boxing champion who we recently lost.

Boxers dedicate their lives to entertaining the public. They fill arenas, inspire fans and line the pockets of promoters, all while taking the hardest hits both physically and emotionally. It is only right we as a community, show appreciation, not just in words but through moral and financial support for fighters in their retirement.

In Ricky’s case, he gave everything in the ring to his fans and to sport. He was successful in the ring and financially but he was still carrying a lot. His passing is a heart breaking loss but his legacy will live for ever.