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A coroner has said she “cannot be satisfied” that British former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton intended to take his own life.
Hatton, 46, was found dead in his home on 14 September, with the inquest concluding that the official cause of his death was hanging.
But the veteran boxer “was the best he had been in years” in the lead-up to his death, his family told Stockport coroner’s court.
Hatton’s body was found in his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, after police received a call from a concerned neighbour, later revealed to have been his manager, Paul Speak.
Hatton was last seen by family members on Friday 12 September, when he took his daughters and granddaughter to a pub for a meal, the court heard.
When saying goodbye, Hatton appeared normal and said he would see them in a couple of days after returning from Dubai, where he was due to take part in an exhibition boxing match, the inquest heard.
The next day Hatton did not appear at an engagement he was scheduled to attend, and on the morning of Sunday 14 September, Speak went to Hatton’s home to escort him to Manchester airport to fly to Dubai, the court heard.
When he did not get a response, Speak entered Hatton’s home, where he found him unresponsive. Speak called the emergency services, but Hatton was pronounced dead.
Tests later revealed that Hatton was “well over” the drink-drive limit at the time of his death. Traces of previous use of cocaine and cannabis were also found.
The former world champion had been open about his struggles with clinical depression and substance abuse, saying on one occasion that he “was coming off the rails” with his drink and drug use, describing himself previously as being “like a runaway train”.
Postmortem evidence also showed some damage to his brain identified as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) associated with boxing.
Alison Mutch, the senior coroner for South Manchester, told the court there was no information uncovered by police to suggest he was planning to take his own life.
Concluding the inquest, she said: “I have listened very carefully to all the evidence. When I add everything together, I cannot be satisfied he intended to take his own life.
“Therefore, it is not possible in law for me to conclude suicide. I have concluded a narrative verdict.
“His intention remains unclear as he was under the influence of alcohol and the neuropathological postmortem found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and that’s the conclusion I draw.”
Hatton’s son Campbell said in a statement to the hearing that his father “was always extremely well loved and cherished by all of us”.
“He lived life – in and out of the ring – at 110% and always said he never regretted it,” he added.
Campbell acknowledged his father had been open about his struggles with alcohol and drugs, but said: “The family believe he was the best he had been in years and made massive plans for the future which leads us to believe this was not premeditated.
“However, over the last two or three years we all noticed a significant decline in his short-term memory.
“He repeated himself constantly, had to write things down and had to be reminded about things he had to do day to day.”
Jennifer Dooley, Hatton’s former partner and the mother of his daughters – Millie, 13, and Fearne, 12 – said he was a very hands-on father who doted on his children, and they all continued to spend time together after the pair separated in 2016.
“He often said that the time he spent with his daughter was when he was happiest,” she said.
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In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
