By Louis Sealey

Copyright metro

Boxing icon Ricky Hatton was found dead at the age of 46 (Picture: Getty)

Ricky Hatton was found dead by his long-standing manager and ‘close friend’ Paul Speak, boxing commentator Steve Bunce has revealed.

Bunce, who was also close to Hatton, spoke to Speak shortly after ‘The Hitman’ was found dead at his home on Sunday morning.

Hatton ‘didn’t show up at the gym’ on Friday before missing a scheduled appearance at a boxing fight on Saturday night.

Bunce said Speak found out about Hatton’s absence on Sunday morning and decided to check in on him at his home in Greater Manchester, where he found him dead.

‘He [Paul Speak] filled me in on a few details about the Friday night and the Saturday night,’ Bunce said on ‘Remembering Ricky Hatton’, a BBC Five Live special that was broadcast on Monday night.

‘On the Saturday night, Ricky hadn’t gone to a boxing show. Speaky had found out Sunday morning. Speaky went round and let himself into the house.

‘In fact it was Paul Speak who found his great friend and the people’s champion Ricky Hatton.

Tributes were held to Hatton at the Etihad Stadium (Picture: Getty)

‘Speaky deserves a little bit of love. You can’t even begin to imagine. It’s a 25-year relationship they’ve had as his commercial and business manager, but more than that it’s his close friend. It’s his confidant.

‘I can’t think of another relationship like it in sport to be perfectly honest. So Speaky was the one that found him.’

Bunce first addressed Hatton’s tragic death on Sunday, describing the news as ‘unbelievably shocking’.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: ‘It’s an unbelievably shocking piece of news because he was in a really good place.

Boxing commentator Steve Bunce (Picture: Getty)

‘He’s had some troubles, Rick. I mean, he’s talked about his mental health problems, he’s talked about his addictions; he’s addressed them, faced them and attacked them and solved them.

‘He was preparing for an exhibition fight; like it is for so many fighters, the gym’s been his salvation. He was getting his body and his head in a better place…

‘Apparently, talking to people, he didn’t show up on Friday at the gym, and he was meant to be at a fight last night, and he didn’t show up at the fight last night, and someone went to his house this morning.

‘It is shocking news.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOokevKDpLx/

Bunce added: ‘Had it been 10 years ago, when he talked openly about considering ending his life, had it been 10 years ago when he was in one of the darkest places any man can be, it would have been, I guess, understandable.

‘But at the moment, I’m genuinely shocked by it. I mean, genuinely, I’m amazed by it…

‘Those of us in the business have lived with Ricky’s up and downs over the last 15 years really. The highs, the lows, the great nights in Las Vegas, the great nights in Manchester. All of the success he’s had, all of the fame he’s had.

‘Then some of us that were closer to him were witness to the dark holes, the depression, to the terrible thoughts and to the lows, the absolute lows.

Fans pay tribute to Hatton outside his Manchester house (Picture: Getty)

New here? Sign up for our daily newsletter

Hi, I’m Louis Sealey, Metro’s deputy sports editor. With over a decade of experience in sports journalism, I’ve covered Olympics, World Cups, Ashes series, Wimbledon finals and more.
If you want to stay up to date with everything that’s happening in the world of sport and beyond, why not sign up to our News Updates newsletter?

Read more of Louis’ stories in the daily newsletter

From sporting drama to real-life features and top headlines from around the world, we deliver the biggest stories straight to your inbox, every morning. Sign up now.

‘But we’ve seen a very different Ricky a couple of times in the last few years, especially these last few months with the announcement of this fight against the guy in Dubai.

‘But if you look at any images of him from the last two or three weeks, it’s as good as he’s looked in 15 years.’

Bunce also revealed he called someone ‘very close’ to Hatton to try and verify the news as he ‘didn’t believe’ he was dead.

‘My first reaction was I actually didn’t believe it,’ he said. ‘I called someone very close to him and tried to get some information from her and she could barely speak so I figured it was true.’

Hatton, who grew up in a council estate in Stockport, established himself as one of the most successful and popular boxers of his generation.

Hatton won world title fights at two weight divisions (Picture: Getty)

‘The Hitman’ won world titles in two weight divisions and featured in huge fights against all-time greats Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Greater Manchester Police have said his death is not being treated as suspicious.

Tributes poured in for one of Britain’s most popular sporting icons and a minute’s appreciation was held before the derby between Manchester City and Manchester United on Sunday.

Hatton, a lifelong Man City fan, was reportedly due to attend the Premier League match, which City won 3-0.

The Hatton family released a statement on his death on Monday, saying ‘words cannot truly capture the pain we feel’.

‘He had a heart as big as his smile, and his kindness, humour and loyalty touched everyone who was lucky enough to know him,’ they said.

‘As a family, our loss is immeasurable, and words cannot truly capture the pain we feel. Yet in the midst of our grief, we have been deeply moved by the overwhelming outpouring of love and support.

‘Richard’s memory will forever remain in our hearts, in the hearts of his fans, and in the sport he loved so dearly.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.