Amir Khan has described himself as 'shattered' following the death of former world champion Ricky Hatton, who was found dead at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester, at the age of 46.
The Olympic silver medallist, 38, said the news had 'hit him quite hard', revealing Hatton was a close friend who attended his first professional fight and his 2013 wedding to Faryal Makhdoom.
'It's really, really sad news. It's shattering hearing the news about Ricky,' Khan told the Mirror. 'He was at my first ever professional fight... He's always been a very close friend and he always messages me. He was at my wedding.'
Greater Manchester Police confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Hatton, who won four world titles and was awarded an MBE for his services to boxing.
In a social media tribute, Khan urged fans to talk about mental health, writing: 'As fighters, we tell ourselves we’re strong... But sometimes the hardest fight happens in silence, in the mind. Mental health isn’t weakness.'
Hatton, known as 'The Hitman', also appeared on Dancing on Ice last year and was a lifelong Oasis fan, having the Gallagher brothers walk him to the ring for his 2008 fight.
