Almost a year after the death of Ricky Hatton, three of the boxing icon's former partners have shared their memories in a new tribute book. Among them are Coronation Street star Claire Sweeney and Hatton's former fiancée Jennifer Dooley, who broke their silence about his final weeks.
Hatton, the beloved two-weight world champion, was found unresponsive at his home on September 14, 2025, and died at the age of 46. His inquest found it was unclear whether he intended to take his own life, though he died by his own hand.
Memories from Sweeney and Dooley
Sweeney, who began a romance with Hatton in early 2024 after knowing him for decades, told boxing commentator Adam Smith for his book Ricky Hatton: The Light That Never Goes Out: "I was better than him on the ice. I miss the laughter, even after we split, we were great pals."
Their relationship lasted less than a year before they parted ways in December 2024, though they remained friends. Sweeney added: "I was blessed to be part of his life. He was such a good dad and I have a son so I understood. Ricky introduced me to his great mates. We spoke all the time. Ricky was the joker and although he had his deep moments, the only thing I noticed was that he became unusually reflective. He always had so much time for people."
She recalled their time together fondly: "My happiest time was when I would come home from filming Corrie and we would cook a nice, healthy meal. Not naughty food. I even introduced him to an air fryer and it changed his life! Ricky would get so excited choosing a boxing movie for his home cinema. We would sit on the sofa and watch films. He was so normal. [But] I saw his vulnerabilities. He was not frightened to show me then. He was extreme, but he was wonderful. I loved being with all his mates at the pub on the estate or having a sing-song at home. So much laughter. He made me laugh so much."
Dooley's poignant revelation
Dooley, who was engaged to Hatton on Valentine's Day in 2009 and had two daughters with him, Millie and Fearne, spoke about his death for the first time since his inquest. She revealed: "I always knew he wasn't going to be an old man. Rick was quite childlike and maybe he never really became an independent, fully functioning adult. I think that's why he got on with his kids so well. Rick's favourite time was with his girls. He lived for everybody else. He was vulnerable about mental health and so many have come to me since his passing and said they had been very close to the edge."
She added: "Rick was really empathetic and looked at life through a wide lens, not concentrating on himself. He thought he was the same as everyone else, with small children, trying to navigate life, but he was actually a trailblazer. I wish we could have done something, but he wanted to save others. He was as daft as a brush but also so switched on, a contradiction, yes, but he felt very deeply. Millie and Fearne loved their time in the house with him. He was really affectionate and cuddly and they loved him hugely."
Maria Ganner's tribute
The book also includes a tribute from Smith's former Sky Sports colleague Maria Ganner, who allegedly had a brief romance with Hatton before he met Dooley. She said: "Through my relationship with Richard, I have had this long relationship with his family and I feel so lucky and privileged that he gave me them. What I miss most about Richard is his sense of humour. He always made me laugh. He found the good in a bad situation and he was so relatable to so many people, just not out of reach. A normal, humble man with absolutely no airs and graces."
Smith, who delivered the main eulogy at Hatton's funeral, spoke to members of his family for the tribute, including the three former partners, who had previously only discussed his death during the inquest. Thousands lined the streets during Hatton's funeral procession in Manchester. Hatton won the British public's hearts with his 2005 victory over Kostya Tszyu in front of a devoted hometown crowd, and even defeats to Floyd Mayweather in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao in 2009 did not dampen the adoration others had for him.
