Richard John Hatton (6 October 1978 – c. 14 September 2025), also known by nicknames such as "the Hitman", "the Pride of Hyde" and the "People's Champion", was a British professional boxer who competed between 1997 and 2012, and later worked as a boxing promoter and trainer. During his boxing career, he held multiple world championships in the light-welterweight division, and one at welterweight. In 2005 he was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine, the Boxing Writers Association of America, ESPN, and BoxingScene.
In 2000 Hatton won the British light welterweight title, followed by the World Boxing Union (WBU) title the following year; he made a record fifteen successful defences of the latter from 2001 to 2004. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2005 by defeating Kostya Tszyu for the International Boxing Federation (IBF), Ring and lineal titles. This was followed up later that year with a victory over Carlos Maussa to claim the World Boxing Association (WBA) title (Super version), thereby becoming a unified light-welterweight world champion.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Richard John Hatton
- Born: October 6, 1978 — Stockport, Greater Manchester, England
- Died: c. September 14, 2025 — Gee Cross, Hyde, England (aged 46)
- Nationality: British
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Reach: 65 in (165 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro debut: 11 Sep 1997 (Win by RTD vs Colin McAuley)
- Last bout: 24 Nov 2012 (Loss by KO vs Vyacheslav Senchenko)
- Total rounds boxed: 284 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Light welterweight, Welterweight
- KO percentage: 71.1% (32 KO wins in 45 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles June 4, 2005 – May 2, 2009 (won from Kostya Tszyu; added the WBA (Unified) light-welterweight title on November 26, 2005 against Carlos Maussa; the IBF title was regained on January 20, 2007 against Juan Urango, with the IBO title; defended the IBO and The Ring titles against José Luis Castillo, Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi; lost the IBO and The Ring titles to Manny Pacquiao); WBA welterweight title May 13, 2006 (won from Luis Collazo, per the bout table; no welterweight title defense appears in the table) — all dates per the bout table
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 48
- Wins: 45
- Wins by KO: 32
- Losses: 3
- Losses by KO: 3
- Draws: 0
- No contests: 0
- Born: October 6, 1978 — Stockport, Greater Manchester, England
- Nationality: British
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Reach: 65 in (165 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Divisions: Light welterweight, Welterweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 Sep 1997 | Colin McAuley | Win | RTD | 1 (4), 3:00 | Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, England |
| 2 | 19 Dec 1997 | Robbie Alvarez | Win | UD | 4 | Madison Square Garden, New York City, US |
| 3 | 17 Jan 1998 | David Thompson | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 1:25 | Whitchurch Leisure Centre, Bristol, England |
| 4 | 27 Mar 1998 | Paul Salmon | Win | TKO | 1 (4), 1:47 | Ice Rink, Telford, England |
| 5 | 18 Apr 1998 | Karl Taylor | Win | TKO | 1 (6), 1:45 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England |
| 6 | 30 May 1998 | Mark Ramsey | Win | PTS | 6 | Whitchurch Leisure Centre, Bristol, England |
| 7 | 18 Jul 1998 | Anthony Campbell | Win | PTS | 6 | Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England |
| 8 | 19 Sep 1998 | Pascal Montulet | Win | KO | 2 (6) | Arena Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany |
| 9 | 31 Oct 1998 | Kevin Carter | Win | TKO | 1 (6) | Bally's Park Place, Atlantic City, US |
| 10 | 19 Dec 1998 | Paul Denton | Win | TKO | 6 (8), 0:19 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England |
| 11 | 27 Feb 1999 | Tommy Peacock | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 2:21 | Sports Centre, Oldham, England — ★ Title fight — Won vacant Central Area light-welterweight title |
| 12 | 3 Apr 1999 | Brian Coleman | Win | KO | 2 (10), 1:18 | Royal Albert Hall, London, England |
| 13 | 29 May 1999 | Dillon Carew | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 2:00 | North Bridge Leisure Centre, Halifax, England — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 14 | 17 Jul 1999 | Mark Ramsey | Win | PTS | 6 | The Dome Leisure Centre, Doncaster, England |
| 15 | 9 Oct 1999 | Bernard Paul | Win | RTD | 4 (12), 3:00 | Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 16 | 11 Dec 1999 | Mark Winters | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 0:51 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 17 | 29 Jan 2000 | Leoncio Garces | Win | TKO | 3 (8), 1:37 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England |
| 18 | 25 Mar 2000 | Pedro Alonso Teran | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 2:55 | Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 19 | 16 May 2000 | Ambioris Figuero | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 0:49 | Spectrum Arena, Warrington, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 20 | 10 Jun 2000 | Gilbert Quiros | Win | KO | 2 (12), 1:48 | Fox Theatre, Detroit, US — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 21 | 23 Sep 2000 | Giuseppe Lauri | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 1:57 | York Hall, London, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title; Won WBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight title |
| 22 | 21 Oct 2000 | Jon Thaxton | Win | PTS | 12 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England — ★ Title fight — Won vacant British light-welterweight title |
| 23 | 26 Mar 2001 | Tony Pep | Win | TKO | 4 (12), 2:30 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England — ★ Title fight — Won vacant WBU light-welterweight title |
| 24 | 7 Jul 2001 | Jason Rowland | Win | KO | 4 (12), 2:08 | Manchester Velodrome, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 25 | 15 Sep 2001 | John Bailey | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 0:36 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 26 | 27 Oct 2001 | Freddie Pendleton | Win | KO | 2 (12), 2:40 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 27 | 15 Dec 2001 | Justin Rowsell | Win | TKO | 2 (12), 0:36 | Wembley Conference Centre, London, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 28 | 9 Feb 2002 | Mikhail Krivolapov | Win | TKO | 9 (12), 2:31 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 29 | 1 Jun 2002 | Eamonn Magee | Win | UD | 12 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 30 | 28 Sep 2002 | Stephen Smith | Win | DQ | 2 (12), 0:28 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title; Smith disqualified after his cornermen entered the ring |
| 31 | 14 Dec 2002 | Joe Hutchinson | Win | KO | 4 (12), 1:16 | Telewest Arena, Newcastle, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 32 | 5 Apr 2003 | Vince Phillips | Win | UD | 12 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 33 | 27 Sep 2003 | Aldo Nazareno Rios | Win | RTD | 9 (12), 3:00 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 34 | 13 Dec 2003 | Ben Tackie | Win | UD | 12 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 35 | 3 Apr 2004 | Dennis Holbæk Pedersen | Win | TKO | 6 (12), 2:32 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 36 | 12 Jun 2004 | Carlos Wilfredo Vilches | Win | UD | 12 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 37 | 1 Oct 2004 | Michael Stewart | Win | TKO | 5 (12), 2:57 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 38 | 11 Dec 2004 | Ray Oliveira | Win | KO | 10 (12), 1:38 | ExCeL, London, England — ★ Title fight — Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 39 | 4 Jun 2005 | Kostya Tszyu | Win | RTD | 11 (12), 3:00 | MEN Arena, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Won IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 40 | 26 Nov 2005 | Carlos Maussa | Win | KO | 9 (12), 1:10 | Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England — ★ Title fight — Retained IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won WBA (Unified) light-welterweight title |
| 41 | 13 May 2006 | Luis Collazo | Win | UD | 12 | TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, US — ★ Title fight — Won WBA welterweight title |
| 42 | 20 Jan 2007 | Juan Urango | Win | UD | 12 | Paris, Paradise, US — ★ Title fight — Retained The Ring light-welterweight title; Won IBF and vacant IBO light-welterweight titles |
| 43 | 23 Jun 2007 | José Luis Castillo | Win | KO | 4 (12), 2:16 | Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, US — ★ Title fight — Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won vacant WBC International light-welterweight title |
| 44 | 8 Dec 2007 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Loss | TKO | 10 (12), 1:35 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US — ★ Title fight — For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles |
| 45 | 24 May 2008 | Juan Lazcano | Win | UD | 12 | City Stadium, Manchester, England — ★ Title fight — Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 46 | 22 Nov 2008 | Paulie Malignaggi | Win | TKO | 11 (12), 0:48 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US — ★ Title fight — Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 47 | 2 May 2009 | Manny Pacquiao | Loss | KO | 2 (12), 2:59 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, US — ★ Title fight — Lost IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles |
| 48 | 24 Nov 2012 | Vyacheslav Senchenko | Loss | KO | 9 (10), 2:52 | Manchester Arena, Manchester, England |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles June 4, 2005 – May 2, 2009 (won from Kostya Tszyu; added the WBA (Unified) light-welterweight title on November 26, 2005 against Carlos Maussa; the IBF title was regained on January 20, 2007 against Juan Urango, with the IBO title; defended the IBO and The Ring titles against José Luis Castillo, Juan Lazcano and Paulie Malignaggi; lost the IBO and The Ring titles to Manny Pacquiao); WBA welterweight title May 13, 2006 (won from Luis Collazo, per the bout table; no welterweight title defense appears in the table) — all dates per the bout table
- 27 Feb 1999 vs Tommy Peacock: Won vacant Central Area light-welterweight title
- 29 May 1999 vs Dillon Carew: Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 9 Oct 1999 vs Bernard Paul: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 11 Dec 1999 vs Mark Winters: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 25 Mar 2000 vs Pedro Alonso Teran: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 16 May 2000 vs Ambioris Figuero: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 10 Jun 2000 vs Gilbert Quiros: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 23 Sep 2000 vs Giuseppe Lauri: Retained WBO Inter-Continental light-welterweight title; Won WBA Inter-Continental light-welterweight title
- 21 Oct 2000 vs Jon Thaxton: Won vacant British light-welterweight title
- 26 Mar 2001 vs Tony Pep: Won vacant WBU light-welterweight title
- 7 Jul 2001 vs Jason Rowland: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 15 Sep 2001 vs John Bailey: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 27 Oct 2001 vs Freddie Pendleton: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 15 Dec 2001 vs Justin Rowsell: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 9 Feb 2002 vs Mikhail Krivolapov: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 1 Jun 2002 vs Eamonn Magee: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 28 Sep 2002 vs Stephen Smith: Retained WBU light-welterweight title; Smith disqualified after his cornermen entered the ring
- 14 Dec 2002 vs Joe Hutchinson: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 5 Apr 2003 vs Vince Phillips: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 27 Sep 2003 vs Aldo Nazareno Rios: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 13 Dec 2003 vs Ben Tackie: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 3 Apr 2004 vs Dennis Holbæk Pedersen: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 12 Jun 2004 vs Carlos Wilfredo Vilches: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 1 Oct 2004 vs Michael Stewart: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 11 Dec 2004 vs Ray Oliveira: Retained WBU light-welterweight title
- 4 Jun 2005 vs Kostya Tszyu: Won IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 26 Nov 2005 vs Carlos Maussa: Retained IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won WBA (Unified) light-welterweight title
- 13 May 2006 vs Luis Collazo: Won WBA welterweight title
- 20 Jan 2007 vs Juan Urango: Retained The Ring light-welterweight title; Won IBF and vacant IBO light-welterweight titles
- 23 Jun 2007 vs José Luis Castillo: Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles; Won vacant WBC International light-welterweight title
- 8 Dec 2007 vs Floyd Mayweather Jr.: For WBC and The Ring welterweight titles
- 24 May 2008 vs Juan Lazcano: Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 22 Nov 2008 vs Paulie Malignaggi: Retained IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles
- 2 May 2009 vs Manny Pacquiao: Lost IBO and The Ring light-welterweight titles
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Ricky_Hatton_2009.jpg?utm_source=en.wikipedia.org&utm_campaign=api&utm_content=original
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-10-31.
