Darts legend Phil Taylor has spoken of his devastation following the death of Ricky Hatton, revealing that the boxer's father Ray is 'heartbroken'. Hatton, 46, was found dead at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester on Sunday, September 14, just months before a planned return to the ring.
Taylor, a close friend of the family, told The Sun that Ray Hatton had texted him but had been off his phone for days due to grief. 'It's breaking his heart,' Taylor said. 'I should go see him next week. He only lives round the corner from where Richard used to live. I'm absolutely devastated to be honest.'
Paying tribute, Taylor described Hatton as 'happy-go-lucky' and recalled playful moments during interviews at trainer Billy Graham's gym. 'He was always normal with me, happy-go-lucky. If I did interviews with him in the gym he'd be squirting the water bottle down the back of my neck. But he was good fun. Nice company to be with.'
Hatton's family released a statement saying they were 'in shock' and 'distraught', noting that despite his well-documented struggles with depression, he appeared to be in a good place. 'Richard had dinner with his girls on Friday night and was not alone in life or in the days before the weekend. The outpouring of grief shows how much Richard was loved.'
Tributes have poured in from the boxing world, with Tyson Fury writing: 'Rip to the legend @rickyhatton. There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton. Can't believe this so young.' Frank Bruno and Amir Khan also expressed their devastation, while Hatton's former girlfriend, actress Claire Sweeney, called him 'the people's champ' in an emotional Instagram post.
