5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce - Reaction to Ricky Hatton's Death

Episode Date: September 14, 2025

Steve Crossman is joined by Steve Bunce and Richie Woodhall to react to the sad news about Ricky Hatton's death.Steve and Richie reflect on his life and career, his battles with his mental health, and... on what he meant to everyone who knew him.As a former World Champion, Ricky Hatton will go down as one of the biggest icons in British boxing history.

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Starting point is 00:01:37 That's pockethose.com slash podcast for your two free gifts with purchase. Pockethose.com slash P-O-D-C-A-S-T. Hello, this is a special five-live boxing podcast that we put together to reflect on the life and career of the former world champion Ricky Hatton, who's died at the age of. of 46. We'll hear from former Whittleweight champion Richie Woodall and Steve Bunce, first of all. So many people knew Ricky Hatton so well. Our thoughts are entirely with his friends and family, but it was such an extended
Starting point is 00:02:20 group of people whose lives were touched by Ricky Hatton inside the ring and outside the ring. So we'll start with Steve, reflecting on just the most awful piece of news that we all learned earlier today. It's an unbelievably shocking piece of news because he was in a really good place. He's had some troubles, Rick. I mean, he's talked about his mental health problems. He's talked about his addictions. He's addressed them and faced them and attacked them and solved them.
Starting point is 00:02:53 And he was preparing for an exhibition fight. The gym's his salvation like it is for so many fighters. The gym's been his salvation. And he was getting his body and he's heading in a better place. Apparently, I'm talking to people. He hadn't been hurt, didn't show up on Friday at the gym. He was meant to be at a fight last night, and he didn't show up at a fight last night.
Starting point is 00:03:18 And someone went to his house this morning. It's shocking news. Had it been 10 years ago when he talked openly about, considering ending his life. Had it been 10 years ago when he was in one of the darkest places any man can be, it would have been, I guess, understandable.
Starting point is 00:03:37 But at the moment, I'm genuinely shocked by it. I mean, generally, I'm amazed by it. I think the whole not just sporting world, I think everybody will kind of be coming together in collective shock at the moment, Steve, won't they? I think they will because, as I say, You know, those of us in the business have lived with Ricky's up and downs over the last 15 years, really.
Starting point is 00:04:03 You know, the highs, the lows, the great nights in Las Vegas, the great nights in Manchester, all of the success he's had, all of the fame he's had. And then we, you know, some of us that were closer to him were, will witness to the dark holes, the depression, to the terrible faults and to the lows, the absolute lows. But we've seen a very different Ricky a couple of times in the last few years, and especially this large. He lost a few months. He announced this fight against the guy in Dubai, and it wasn't much of a fight. It was a fun fight. But if you look at any images of him
Starting point is 00:04:34 from the last two or three weeks, it's as good as he's looked in 15 years. And that's what I think, that's why I think this is, this is why this will be an even bigger shock. If it had been Ricky when he fell, constantly fell off the cliff, which he did, let's get that right.
Starting point is 00:04:47 You know, any man fighting the demons, Ricky was fighting and coming from the places he'd come from and the fame he'd had and having to deal with normal life and all of the terrible terrors have fallen into that blackness. He'd done fantastically well to get where he was, and he's just been on such a good run recently. I mean, my first reaction was, I actually didn't believe it.
Starting point is 00:05:09 I had to call someone very close to him to try and get some information from her, and she could barely speak, so I figured it was true. It goes without saying that you learn something like this, and immediately the only thing you think about is the people close to Ricky, Just hearing you say that, you know, having to call someone to find out what's happened, there are a lot of people who are very, very close to him, not just because of what he did as a boxer, but because of the way he lit up a room, because of his character. You know, that group of people for whom he means so much is a really big and wide group.
Starting point is 00:05:49 It's a massive group. And it's also the amount of people he influenced, the amount of fighters that he influenced, that he influenced. Young kids, even young kids now that probably weren't born when he was winning world titles and reigning supreme like he did. I'm influenced by Ricky Hat and that's his style in the ring. But what I think you're talking about there, Steve,
Starting point is 00:06:11 is more the amount of people that were influenced by his lifestyle and by his way and by his just, you know, he's just... He went for it. You know, Ricky lived life fully. He took the Mickey out of himself. You used to enter the ring wearing a fat suit. to make it look like he was carrying about 15 pounds, 15 stone, which of course he used to lose 5 or 6 stone per fight,
Starting point is 00:06:31 but what people really admire is just his determination. He should never have been as good as he was. He should never have had the fame and the accolades and the glory he had. But that was down to just pure determination and desire. And that's what Ricky had, is that determination and desire. and he fought Steve O, with every single part of his soul and his fibre. And if he won, there was nothing left. If he lost, there was nothing left.
Starting point is 00:07:03 He gave everything in victory and defeat. And was a massive inspiration on both sides of the ropes. Steve, are you okay to carry on? You just let me know because it's awful. And I can't imagine because of you knowing him so well and so many people knowing him so well. Yeah, are you sure you're all right? Dave, I'm all right.
Starting point is 00:07:26 I'm looking over at a couple of people in the lobby here at the hotel and I'm watching their faces as they walk past. Connor Walker, the British World to Eight champion just walked past and he had a look of absolute shock and horror on his face and some of the people involved with matrim boxing. People are walking around here, mostly in silence and shock at the news, yeah. I mean, it's the fact that so many people knew him so well, like you were saying, and so influenced by him,
Starting point is 00:07:52 Like, his absolute peak as a boxing legend was a long time ago now. But it's not just, is it that he was always around boxing, which he was, he was always around boxing. It's the fact that what he did, the influence of it is so broad. I mean, you know, if I go back to 2007 when he fought in Las Vegas, he was taking over. He started off at the start of the year with 10 or 15. And then I think U.S. Customs acknowledged that there were something like 37,000 visitors to Las Vegas and Los Angeles area who were going to the fight, who passed through immigration. 37,000. That was for the Floyd Mayweather fight, which he lost, but that's irrelevant.
Starting point is 00:08:37 He was fighting one of the all-time greats. The whole Ricky Hatton's army, and there's only one Ricky Hatton. We did a thing once, live on five live, at one of his wayings. I think Mark Chappas was the presenter. And I challenged Chappers, or rather, Chappers challenged me. I made a climb. Every single person here seeing Ricky Hatton, this was for the Mayweather fight,
Starting point is 00:08:58 has a Ricky Hatton story. So Chappas said, that's impossible. I said, trust me, Chappas. So we went out into where they were queuing up to go into the fight. And we wandered down the row. So I didn't just choose four lads,
Starting point is 00:09:11 obviously, from Manchester, or out on a jolly. I chose all sorts of different people, and it was filmed. We did a bit of social media. It was pre-social media, but we did it. And we asked 20 or so people,
Starting point is 00:09:20 and every single one of them, had a direct Ricky Hatton story. They'd met him, they'd had a drink of him, they were on a plane with him, they were Alton Towers with him, they were on a flight to Tenerife of him, they were in a restaurant in Tenerife, and every single one of them.
Starting point is 00:09:34 Chappas was stunned. I won the bet, it was 5p. I assure you that it wasn't just the influence on boxers and on boxing fans. Everybody knew Ricky Hatton. Steve, when you think of him, what do you immediately think about?
Starting point is 00:09:50 I think about a young kid was having about his third fight in Atlantic City on a Nassim Hamid undercard. And him and his coach, his great coach, Billy the preacher Graham, had been out for the night. And I remember going down for breakfast. I'd just filed my copy, and the two of them were coming in. And he looked about 12 years of age.
Starting point is 00:10:06 And he'd had a night out with Billy, the preacher Graham, and trust me, those were hard nights out. And I remember the big smile on his face. He'd had a win in Las Vegas on a massive bill, fighting with Nassim Hamid is the top of the bill, Nassim was one of Ricky's heroes. And he walked in. As I say, he looked about 12 years of age.
Starting point is 00:10:23 That's one image. The other image will always be in Las Vegas in the summer of 2007 when he knocked out a guy called Juan Castillo to set up the mayor of a fight. And there were about 12, 15,000 Brits in there. And I had the pleasure, the privilege of being up in the ring and interviewing him. And I remember just the two of us in there talking. And I had Wayne Rooney by my side. It sounds like I'm name dropping here.
Starting point is 00:10:47 It was just ridiculous. And Ricky was just as happy as a man could be. He's in Las Vegas. His name was in lights. And there he was, just smiling. He just knocked out a guy that was expected to beat him. And now that wasn't a gimmick fighter. That wasn't a fighter that was built on height. That was a real fighter. And that was Ricky Hatton that day. You know, when somebody loses their life at such a young age, it's always really difficult to feel. You know, is it the right time to be looking back on their career? Because that the shock is still there. But just because you knew him really well, do you think what he would want us to be doing right now is talking about his greatness as well?
Starting point is 00:11:33 And we're talking about the person that he was and the shock of what's happened, but also that amazing career, those titles, those fights with, I mean, the Floyd Mayweather fight in particular, do you think that's what he would be wanting us to do? I'd also want us to do, Steve, and I mean this. I had a little think about this in the five minutes from getting the news to speaking to you.
Starting point is 00:11:53 He'd also want us to be, to remember the dark, the bad times as well. He'd want us to remember what he came through because that's part of Ricky's testimony. That's part of Ricky's speeches when he does his tours, when he does his basically stand-up routine, is there's enough jokes in there, and there's some great jokes in there. There's an awful lot of fun in there.
Starting point is 00:12:12 But then he also takes people back and leaves a lot of grown men in tears. Because he talks about the darkness. He talks about our hard. it is for a fighter who's had unbelievable fame and fortune and success and the love of thousands and thousands to suddenly find himself in an empty house, suddenly find himself with nothing to do on a Saturday night. And Ricky's battled those demons and he's conquered most of those demons. He's conquered the addictions. He's conquered the depression. He's conquered, you know, the mental
Starting point is 00:12:44 problems. They stay with you for life. Obviously, but he keeps beating him. He keeps winning. And that's why this is such a shock because he'd been in such a great place for a decent length of time now. I remember him saying, if a boxer can come out and say that they are struggling, if a boxer can come out and say that they are crying every day, it's going to make a huge difference. Absolutely is. That will have made a huge difference to so many people. Hey, listen, you know, it's not just fighters that will make a difference too. It's other people.
Starting point is 00:13:18 You know, Ricky was, you know, involved with various campaigns. You know, as was Tyson Fury, who suffered the same demons and ravages. And so Ricky was doing all he could to raise awareness. You know, that you can reach out for help, that you can admit your suffering. I mean, you know, a world champion, a multi-millionaire world champion who's conquered the world and conquered Vegas. He's not meant to admit his suffering. Well, Ricky changed that perspective. just like Tyson Fury did it.
Starting point is 00:13:49 It's that they rock, some of the things that Ricky did, we'll look back on in the next, hopefully the next week or so, and we'll realize how brave and bold they were. Those are things he did without gloves on. Those are things he did without 12 weeks in training camp. You know, not, and I think we'll see that. I think we'll see that how brave he must have been to have come out and conquered those demons.
Starting point is 00:14:12 And bear in mind also, you know, you got stitched up a couple of times by the press on, you know, let's not mess around. You know, you got stretched up by, you know, I've got Josh Taylor here for one undisputed champion in the world. He's hit by it and he just, and he just pointed me and said, yes, he did, and he did. He got stitched up by the press.
Starting point is 00:14:31 He got stitched up by the press and he still came back from that. And you know what he did? He came back from that. I don't want to sound cliche there. He came back from that with a smile. I mean, I think the battling the demons is going to be half the story as is battling the many beat in the ring. Just on that.
Starting point is 00:14:46 as well. I mean, this is something that athletes who've been through the worst mental health crises, some of them talk about it now in a way that just wouldn't have happened 10 years ago. I think we can say, can we, that it's people like Ricky Hatton who have played a big role in helping to encourage anyone who feels able to have those conversations, which are just so impactful. Listen, I can't remember conversations until Ricky started talking, and then Tyson was talking straight after. I can't remember conversations before that. If someone was suffering from what we would, you know,
Starting point is 00:15:26 we maybe talk about now as a mental illness or stress or anxiety, it would just be, you know, he's not right. He's, you know, he's grabbing some problems. It was how we'd wipe it, we'd sweep it under the carpet. Ricky set an agenda, and it was an agenda for change. It was an agenda that allowed people to hold their hand up and say, you know what, I don't feel right. I think I need some help.
Starting point is 00:15:48 You know, we know some horror stories when people in other sports have tried to go to, in football, especially when people are not going to name anyone, don't panic, when footballers have gone to their managers in the past 30 years and said, look, I'm having some problems. You know, some of the things those managers have said to them, I can't deal with a mental stress, I can't deal with a mental strain. Well, perhaps Ricky has done something to just show people that it is true, it is genuine. And I think we're going to look back and we're going to realize how much pressure also Ricky was under,
Starting point is 00:16:13 because what comes from all that fame and adoration is the pressure, the pressure to win for those fans that are following you and the pressure to succeed and to stay more than that, to stay at the top. I think what you said earlier is absolutely spot on that that is such a big part of the conversation that was so important to him and he would want to be spoken about in great detail and I've got no doubt that that side of the conversation is going to continue as well. And I think it's also going to be a long time before the shock wears off for people
Starting point is 00:16:48 and that the other parts of the conversation will feel like the natural thing to talk about. But I think what you said before is the two sides of the conversation would be what Ricky Hatton would want us to be speaking about. So let's talk about that part of it then. When you think of him in the ring, where do you go to? Well, when it comes to popular, he's the most popular British fighter. I would argue ever, maybe Frank Bruno was more popular because, you know, that's the popularity contest. But Ricky also had an incredible ability,
Starting point is 00:17:22 and it was the driving desire that allowed him to succeed. He was maybe a bit too short for some of the things he achieved. Maybe his arms were a bit shorter for some of the things he achieved. But he drove himself on. Also drove himself on by, you know, packed out, sold-out arena, the M-E-N, and the thousands and thousands that went over to Las Vegas to watch him fight. that pushed him on, that drove him on, that inspired. I mean, you know, we used the cliché people's champion.
Starting point is 00:17:49 Well, you know, no one's ever had come close to what Ricky was before, and no one's come close to what Ricky has been since. And the only boxer I can think of who was perhaps under more pressure as the fights went on was Anthony Joshua, who's been under incredible pressure since winning a gold in 2012. And also suffered from some demons. Let's get that absolutely right. And AJ's talking about that stuff as well talking about the pressure,
Starting point is 00:18:14 talking about how he's had to overcome an awful lot, an awful lot in his career. Well, Ricky had to do that. And at first, when he was fighting, there were no conversations about how it was maybe affecting him. Maybe as we go forward, maybe we'll look at guys we stick on giant pedestals and we'll look at guys that can attract 35,000
Starting point is 00:18:32 or 36,000 people to travel to Las Vegas to see them fight. And look at guys, we'll look at guys that can sell out the MEN half a dozen times in two or three, years and we'll look at, well, I wonder if they're feeling pressure, because just knowing they're getting 6 million, 10 million, 12 million or 500,000 pounds isn't enough. And I think that's part of the conversation as well, Steve. I also wonder as well, Steve, if it's, the other thing that made his appeal so big is that
Starting point is 00:19:01 when you watch boxers speak, whether it's now or whether it's 15, 20 years ago, that there is a level of polish and there is a level of performance to everything. But if you listen to Ricky Hatton speak, I think you could hear the guy who grew up in a pub on a council estate, couldn't you? Yeah, you could. And you know what? He never ever stopped being the guy who grew up in a pub and on various council estates. And, you know, and that was his, that was one of his, one of his knacks, one of his tricks, was this, you know, this every man. And I've used the expression before. I know it's cliche, the people's champion. You know, he's, you know, he's, you know, he's, he's, You know, sure, he loved the pint.
Starting point is 00:19:40 He loved the kebab. He loved the late night out. He tells funny stories about, you know, walking out from, he was kipping down with someone. He had no idea where it was. And when he walked out, he realized that he was wearing a woman's slippers. He didn't even know her name. He didn't know where she lived.
Starting point is 00:19:53 He ended up going to a shop. He ended up going to a petrol station at 4 o'clock in the morning to buy booze. It's in his book, and he tells the story in his stand-up. A 4 o'clock in the morning, Josh is here laughing. At 4 o'clock in the morning and he walks to a petrol station wearing a woman's dressing gown, a pair of woman's slippers to buy some extra beers.
Starting point is 00:20:10 Once he's got the beers, he has no idea where a flat was and he's got no phone. I mean, he tells those stories. So there will be an unbelievable amount of incredibly fun Ricky Houghton's stories. And I think the great sadness will be that at such a young age, we've lost him. And especially with him being in such a great, as my understanding, it's such a great place at the moment. Let's bring in former WBC super middleweight champion Richie Woodall who's joined us. Richie, I know everybody is feeling this. Are you okay because this is such a humongous shock to everybody?
Starting point is 00:20:48 You know, it's absolutely massive. It really is, yeah. In fact, I think I'd text Steve earlier to see if it was true because someone had told me. And I thought he'd be on some radio somewhere, Steve, so he didn't reply to my text. But, yeah, I mean, it's just, what a shock. It's incredible because obviously, you know, he's recently announced that he wanted to come back and have another contest.
Starting point is 00:21:14 So I knew he was getting back into the gym, getting into shape again, and he needed that goal, really, because he just loves the sport of boxing. So I thought he was getting back into shape and everything was going well for him. So to hear this news, man, it's just, I'm gobsmacked, I really am.
Starting point is 00:21:36 Who was he to you then, Richie? Well, you know, we remember the great nights. Obviously, I work with Steve on some absolutely fantastic nights with Ricky Atten. I mean, it was probably five or six times he'd box in Vegas. And Steve's probably already spoke about it, about the 20,000 people that came over to support him. He was an iconic figure, wasn't he? But I think what stands out for me with Ricky Atten is that night in Manchester
Starting point is 00:22:00 back in 2005 when he beat Costius. and obviously Steve and myself we were working on that fight, that magical night at the MEN arena back then. It was just unbelievable. I mean, you remember Steve? We never got back to our hotel. It's about 4 o'clock in the morning. It was just incredible.
Starting point is 00:22:17 It was a fantastic performance, and that's what stands out for me. It was unbelievable, Steve, wasn't it? That evening, I'll never forget that evening. You know what, Rich? You know what, Rich? I've been talking on here, and I'm going through two or three memories,
Starting point is 00:22:30 and that one, I'd forgotten that one. That's when he wins the time. No, I mean, it's one of the all-time great nights. Yeah, it is. And at the end of the 11th round, he comes back to the corner, Ricky. He's got nothing left. Then Billy Graham gets a sense, turns around, looks over at Costa Zoo, and Costa Zoo is being pulled out.
Starting point is 00:22:47 And 19.5,000 people in the MEN at 2.30 in the morning, because they had it late for TV, and they closed the doors in the bar midnight. And 19.5,000 people realize what happened, because Ricky stands up, screams, then falls on the floor, and the place it was bedlam. That's going to be one of the greatest nights in British boxing history. That's cost to do with.
Starting point is 00:23:10 Unbelievable. And do you remember, Steve, we were like around the arena? Everyone was buzzing for so long afterwards. And we walked back to our hotel, if you remember. About 4.30 in the morning? Yeah, it was like 4 o'clock in the morning. I'll never forget that. And we were all just absolutely stunned.
Starting point is 00:23:26 And we were buzzing. I think me and you were looking for somewhere to actually go and get a kebab or some chips or something. there was nothing open. I always remember that because we were starving, but it was... What a night. And then there's the Vegas night, you know, and he come up short against Pacchio and Mayweather, but nevertheless, those great knights he gave us against Castillo.
Starting point is 00:23:48 And I remember the first time I actually went to Vegas was against one, Urango at the Paris Las Vegas. When it snowed. When it snowed. Yeah, it was incredible. It really was. Back in January of 2007, it was an unbelievable. occasion for me because the first time I'd ever been to Vegas
Starting point is 00:24:05 is when he beat one Arango and then there's that Castillo fight with that tremendous body shot that left up to the body which was just textbook what memories Richard? What memories? Steve we had some fantastic nights some of our best days and nights in Vegas with Ricky Atten and we'll always remember 20,000 odd people following him
Starting point is 00:24:26 wherever he went on those occasions it was yeah just fantastic unbelievable memories you know what strikes me about that as well is that you were talking about a first time going to Las Vegas with Ricky Hatton and so many people, like you said, 20,000 people of which probably 99% of them will have been making their first trip as well. And the impression that I get is that Ricky, even though he was the focus of it, and even though he was the fighter, because of who he was as a man, just felt like another member of that group, if you see what I mean. Well, on a couple of occasions, actually, Steve will remember this also. We obviously have to when the fights are over. The fights are over quite early in Vegas.
Starting point is 00:25:08 So you're probably finished sometimes by about half ten, 11 o'clock at night. So we go and have a sit down, we go and have a drink and we talk about the fight. And we've actually been in a couple of places in Vegas, and Ricky's walked through the door. You know, with Paul Speeke, who used to look after him, with a few people around him. And he's just fought. And everyone looks and thinks, God, it's there's Ricky Hatter. and then he'd come and have a drink with you, come and have a talk with you. I think he was a real people's champion, Ricky was,
Starting point is 00:25:36 and he was always one of the people. And I've been to many after dinners. He was a brilliant after dinner speaker, you know. He was very, very funny. And it was just, it wasn't scripted. You could just say, he was off the cuff, and he was just one of the lads. And that's what I'll always remember about him also.
Starting point is 00:25:54 And when I used to see him, he'd always want to talk about boxing, because you knew I was a G.B coach for the, for the Olympic squad. He'd want to talk about the lads how they were getting on in the squad because he boxed for England many times did Ricky. And so he still remembers those days also. So, you know, he used to talk to me about the squad.
Starting point is 00:26:13 And yeah, he really was a people's champion. That's how he's got to be described. It's a phrase as well, Steve, that we hear a lot that, isn't it? I'm not sure it applies to anybody more than it applies to Ricky Hamm. Well, obviously I'm biased, Steve Owen. I would say that, but if you look at the factors,
Starting point is 00:26:32 what makes a people's champion is obviously having constant relations and talking and being in touch with people. That eliminates most people from the world of football straight away. And you need that, and it's an awful expression, but it's one that really fits the bill here. You need a common touch. You know, it sounds like a crass term, but it's not. You need that ability to be able to walk into a pub,
Starting point is 00:26:55 walk, you know, get on the train, get to an airport, and everybody know you. No one's in awe of you. They want to approach you because they know they can approach you. And as I said earlier on, everybody's got a Ricky Hatton story. So anybody meeting him for the first time already knows someone that's met him. And that goes for, you know, you could be the head of English at a school in Lowerstoft, okay? And I happen to know that head of English at a school in Lower Stoff.
Starting point is 00:27:17 And she's met him, okay? And you can be in charge of the doors in Aberdeen. And I know a guy who's on the doors in Aberdeen. And he's met him every single person across, every single person. that every single person he ever met they come from all over the place but they've all got one thing in common is the people that have met
Starting point is 00:27:35 is that they've all had a bit of they've all had a bit of Ricky Hatton if you want to use an expression and they love that bit of Ricky Hatton. I think Richie that as kids we grow up and at quite an early age we find our sports we find the sports that we love
Starting point is 00:27:54 and are going to be with us for the rest of our lives It's a very rare thing for somebody to come along and almost force you to fall in love with a sport because of the way they carry themselves in the ring and out the ring. We were talking earlier with Steve about the way that how Ricky was will have inspired boxers. I think also it will have inspired an almost birthed boxing fans of all ages.
Starting point is 00:28:25 Well, he was a very down to worth person, Ricky Hatton was. Like I said, and he carried himself very well out of the ring also because he was very, very, very approachable, very, very down to worth. And like you say, that goes a long way, doesn't it, to tell you what the man is all about. He reached the very top in his sport, but you could approach him and literally have a chat with him, have a cup of tea with him if you met him down the road.
Starting point is 00:28:54 and that's what made him so appealing to people. But also, style-wise, and as a boxer, he was a very exciting fighter, Ricky was, because he wasn't a boxer who would box at long-range textbook, hit a move. He was a fighter on that front foot. And it's probably a rare thing these days, in this, you don't see very many good inside fighters these days, and I don't know why that is,
Starting point is 00:29:21 but Ricky was a very good boxer on the inside. He used to move his head. He was very, very, and that's what probably made him very exciting because when he was up close, he was actually, sometimes he was taking shots here and there. But I remember speaking to Billy Graham, and Billy Graham, his coach for many years, said to me, if you watch the way he box rich on the inside,
Starting point is 00:29:40 he says he doesn't get hit very often. And when you actually analyse his style, it was an exceptionally good inside boxer. And there's a real art to inside boxing, to avoid boxing, to avoid punches on the inside is very, very difficult. But he did it very well. And I think because he was always in that danger zone, he's always in punching range,
Starting point is 00:30:01 that's why he was such an exciting fighter. And he appealed to so many. So yeah, I mean, style-wise, I thought it was great. He was so appealing. And he put a lot of kids into gyms, Ricky did, because people wanted to go to a, you know, Dad, take me to the boxing gym because I want to be like Ricky Hatton.
Starting point is 00:30:19 So that's a great. memory for a lot of people, I think. I know that in the coming days and weeks, there will be so many tributes paid to Ricky Hatton. Is there anything else that right now you want to say, you make sure that we say now about Ricky Hatton? Yeah, it's a very important question. I think Ricky Hatton will be remembered as boxing the very, very best. He had a great record.
Starting point is 00:30:44 He was a world champion, very well respected. and like I say he didn't shy away from anyone in terms of he fought the Mayweathers, he fought the Pachioas, he gave us some great nights in Vegas. That all-time great night for me was in Manchester when he won the title against Costa Zoo. He'll be remembered as one of the all-time British greats. I think that's all I can say about Ricky Atten. He's been a tremendous, tremendous boxer and a tremendous advert for the game. And rest in peace, Ricky, you know, you will never be forgotten.
Starting point is 00:31:14 Thank you very much, Richie, for being with us. we really, really appreciate it. And I know it's an awful day and a big shock. So thank you for talking to us. And you've done a wonderful job there of really paying tribute to Ricky. So thank you. Thank you. There you go.
Starting point is 00:31:28 That is Richard Woodhull joining us. And a huge thank you to the amazing Steve Bunce as well, who also just did an absolutely remarkable job of paying tribute to Ricky Hatton. I've just seen this tweet as well from Amir Khan. He said, today we lost not only one of Britain's greatest boxers. but a friend, a mentor, a warrior in Ricky Hatton. As fighters, we tell ourselves that we are strong, we train, we sweat, we take hits, we get up. But sometimes the hardest fights happen in silence, in the mind.
Starting point is 00:32:02 Mental health isn't weakness. It is part of being a human being. And we must talk about it. We must reach out. We must lean on each other. Ricky, thank you for everything, writes Amir Khan, for your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what's possible.
Starting point is 00:32:23 To everyone reading this, if you're hurting or struggling, you are not alone. Talk, reach out, because we need more light, more compassion, more understanding. Rest well, Ricky. You will always have your place in the ring of our memories. A tribute there from Amir Khan to Ricky Hatton, who has died. at the age of 46. The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people. So when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads.
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