Ricky Hatton’s brother has opened up for the first time since the boxer tragically lost his life.
Hatton was found dead in his Greater Manchester home on September 14 by his manager, Paul Speak, leading to an outpouring of love from fans all over the world.
His brother, Matthew, was one of the people carrying Hatton’s coffin into Manchester Cathedral and he has spoken out for the first time in an emotional sit-down interview.
The 44-year-old revealed: “I don’t think we ever did [think he would take his own life].
Matthew Hatton was shocked to hear Ricky Hatton had committed suicide
|GETTY
“I’ll be honest, I’ve always worried. I spoke with my partner all the time [about him] and we did worry a lot about Richard, obviously [with him] doing a lot of interviews and stuff like that.
“I’d listen and I was never really convinced by what he was saying.”
Matthew believes Hatton “didn’t seem to have a purpose now” or a “vision” for the future, which worried him.
“But genuinely, this year is undoubtedly the best he’s ever been by a long, long way because he has had his problems since he stopped boxing,” he continued.
The 44-year-old said the news of his brother’s death “really was a shock,” while also revealing that his star brother had not reached out to him in the time leading up to the death, but had put this down to his busy schedule.
He revealed he had been comforted by the fact that his brother had been in contact with professionals “on a regular basis.”
After hearing the news of his brother’s passing, Matthew went to be with his parents and shut himself off from the outside world.
Matthew Hatton was worried about his brother in the months leading up to his death
|PA
“It felt like a bad dream. Has it hit me yet fully? I don’t know, probably not,” he concluded to ITV.
Hatton’s son, Campbell, also spoke to The Times, saying that Hatton was in the best place he had seen him for a long time leading up to his dead.
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He said: “He was the best any of us have ever seen him. He had mellowed with age. He wasn’t going out on crazy drinking benders.
“He was spending loads of time with his girls and Lyla. He was dead busy with stuff in the gym. He had loads he was looking forward to.
Campbell Hatton has spoken at length about how much he loved his dad, Ricky Hatton
| INSTAGRAM“When he was really in his dark place, it would’ve been just as heartbreaking, but it wouldn’t have been as much of a shock.”
Hatton was scheduled to make a sensational return to the boxing ring before his untimely death, which was only announced a few weeks before he was found dead.