Ricky Hatton’s ex and close friend Claire Sweeney posted sweet message to the boxer just weeks before his death

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Just weeks before he passed away, Ricky Hatton received a heartfelt message from his former partner and friend, Claire Sweeney.

The former world boxing champion died aged 46, it was revealed on Sunday. 

I’m heartbroken to share that he was found at his home in Greater Manchester this morning. Police are currently at the scene, but thankfully, they’ve said there’s nothing to suggest anything untoward happened.

He had begun coaching after retiring from boxing, but was scheduled to come out of retirement for a fight in December.

Claire, a 54-year-old actress who briefly dated Ricky last year and stayed friends with him, expressed her support for his recent return to acting.

She recently posted a video celebrating his comeback to the sport, writing ‘This is brilliant’ as the caption.

Ricky and Claire, a star from Coronation Street, began dating after meeting as contestants on Dancing On Ice in January 2024.

Claire shared that she and Ricky had been friends for 25 years before they became romantically involved. Ricky added that it was good they found each other after both of their previous relationships ended.

She had been single since ending her relationship with her son Jaxon’s father, Daniel Reilly, in 2017.

The couple broke up in December 2024, after dating for eight months, despite having recently shared a vacation together in Tenerife.

According to a source, Claire and Ricky have ended their romantic relationship but remain friends. They realized they’re better suited as just pals and haven’t had a falling out.

They have a lot in common and enjoy each other’s company, but they live very different lives.

Claire and Ricky remained on friendly terms after their relationship ended.

The celebrated boxing champion passed away at the age of 46, only weeks after surprisingly announcing he was coming back to fight.

Police were called to Bowlacre Road in Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am this morning following a report from a member of the public. Officers discovered the body of a 46-year-old man. At this time, police do not believe there was any foul play involved.

Friends grew worried last night when Ricky Hatton didn’t show up to an event where one of his fighters was competing, according to Daily Mail Sport.

He’d retired from boxing and started coaching, but was scheduled to come out of retirement for a fight in December.

Ricky Hatton, recognized with an MBE for his contributions to sports in 2007, frequently discussed his battles with mental health issues and drug addiction.

The famous boxer was discovered at his home in Greater Manchester earlier today. Police are currently at the scene, but his death is not considered suspicious.

As the news broke, Ricky’s celebrity friends paid tribute to the sportsman.

Greg Rutherford, an Olympic athlete, appeared on the 2024 season of Dancing On Ice with Ricky and posted a picture of them both smiling while skating.

Greg shared some incredibly sad news. He described being completely awestruck when he first met Ricky and asked for a photo. He explained that Ricky was incredibly kind and genuinely interested in their conversation after Greg told him how much he admired him.

Even in the short time I knew him, his kindness was always apparent. We shared a few conversations about mental health, discussing the challenges we both faced. I even opened up to him about things I hadn’t shared with anyone else, and he offered incredibly supportive words that I’ll always appreciate.

He was a wonderful person and truly one of the best boxers of all time. We’ll all miss him deeply, and our hearts go out to his family.

Ricky’s Dancing On Ice partner, Robin Johnston, shared a heartfelt message, saying Ricky was making great progress before his passing.

She told The Mirror: ‘I’m devastated. It’s so sad. Ricky was a friend.

I’ll always remember seeing him watching our performance during the Torvill and Dean show. He was on the ice with his daughters, and his eyes were sparkling with excitement – they were all so thrilled to watch us. His children meant the world to him.

He was the partner I stayed in touch with the most after the show. He was really focused on training and seemed great, even checking in on how we were doing. We were touring with Torvill and Dean at the time, and he brought his daughters to one of the shows. We’ve met them several times since then.

Amber Davies, also a contestant on Dancing On Ice, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying, ‘Such a lovely guy, Ricky. Sending my thoughts to everyone who loved him. He was one of the kindest people I met during our time on the show. Rest in peace.’

Oti Mabuse, a judge on Dancing On Ice when Ricky Hatton was involved with the show, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram. She wrote that her thoughts are with Ricky, describing him as a genuinely kind and sweet person who was a supportive father figure to many of the celebrities on the show. She also included the hashtag #RIP.

David Beckham also shared his own tribute to Ricky, posting a snap of him from his boxing heyday.

He shared his sadness, saying Ricky was truly unique and irreplaceable, and deeply loved by everyone who followed his work.

I was really touched when I saw the footballer share a quote from Ricky Gervais himself. It said, ‘As long as I’ve got the love of the fans, that means everything to me,’ and honestly, it completely resonated with me. It’s just so true – the fans are everything!

DOI contestant Adele Roberts posted: ‘Goodnight Ricky

I’m deeply saddened to hear about Ricky’s passing. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time, and with everyone who knew and loved him.

He was a truly remarkable person. I’d looked up to him for years and was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to meet him.

Ricky was even more wonderful than I imagined – incredibly kind, funny, and generous. His energy and laughter brightened every space he was in. He was a true fighter, brave and fearless. We’ll miss him deeply and are heartbroken he’s gone so soon. Rest peacefully, Ricky.

Will Mellor shared on X that he was heartbroken to learn about the passing of his friend, Ricky Hatton. He described Hatton as a true champion of the people, but emphasized that Hatton’s toughest fight was with his mental health. Mellor ended with a message of rest in peace.

Ray Winstone expressed his shock and sadness upon hearing the news, saying it felt like a physical blow. Although he hadn’t met the person, he felt a connection to him, describing him as a true champion both as an athlete and as a person. Winstone offered his heartfelt condolences to the family and wished him peace, noting how tragically young he was to pass away.

Piers Morgan shared a tribute on X (formerly Twitter) to Ricky Hatton, known as ‘The Hitman,’ who sadly passed away at his home in Manchester at the age of 46. Police have stated there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. Morgan called the news ‘incredibly sad’.

On his BBC Radio 2 program, Paddy McGuinness announced the sad news of Ricky’s death, becoming emotional as he remembered him as a close friend.

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2025-09-14 22:25