Boxing champion Ricky Hatton described receiving his MBE from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace as 'one of the greatest days of my life'. The 28-year-old, known as the 'Hyde Hitman', collected the honour alongside his girlfriend Jennifer Dooley and parents Carol and Ray.
Hatton, who recently beat Jose Luis Castillo in Las Vegas to become IBO light welterweight champion, said the award was beyond anything he had dreamed of. 'I knew from a young age that I could do reasonably well at boxing but to achieve something like this, it's well beyond anything I could have dreamed of,' he said.
The boxer paid tribute to his supporters, adding: 'It's the love of the fans that's priceless. It's nice when people call me a people's champion.' He said he would celebrate in 'true Ricky Hatton style' with a meal and a few pints.
