Ricky Hatton’s death has shocked both the sports and showbiz world, after the former boxing champion was found dead at his home in Manchester on Sunday.
The sportsman had moved into coaching after his retirement from the sport, but also delved into reality TV with a stint on Dancing On Ice in 2024.
The Daily Mail understands that friends were initially concerned on Saturday, when Ricky failed to appear at an event featuring one of his boxers, and there is currently a police cordon around his home where he was found.
Ricky held multiple world and UK titles during his career between 1997 and 2012. He had one son, Campbell, who retired from boxing at 24 to become a solar panel installer in July, and two daughters, Millie and Fearne.
Throughout his time in the spotlight, Ricky made headlines thanks to his colourful love life, including claims he cheated on his long-term fiancée Jennifer Dooley with an Irish boxer while he struggled with drug addiction.
As well as enjoying romances with beauties including a much younger Playboy model, Chelsea Claire, Ricky also dated his ITV co-star Claire Sweeney last year.
Ricky Hatton’s turbulent love life was regularly in the headlines, most recently his relationship with Dancing On Ice co-star Claire Sweeney in 2024
The boxer (pictured in his final social media video) was found dead in his home in Manchester on Sunday
Claire Sweeney
Ricky struck up a romance with Coronation Street star Claire when they met while competing on Dancing On Ice in January 2024.
Claire previously explained she and Ricky had known each other for 25 years before sparks flew between them, while the boxing champion said it was ‘nice’ they were able to connect following the end of their respective relationships.
She had been single following her separation from ex Daniel Reilly, with whom she shares son Jaxon, in 2017.
Ricky and Claire enjoyed a holiday together to Tenerife, but split in December 2024 after eight months together
While they enjoyed a holiday together in Tenerife, the couple split in December 2024 after eight months together.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘Claire and Ricky remain good friends, there has been no falling out between them. They decided they’re better off as pals and are no longer romantically together.
‘They enjoyed their time as a couple and have plenty of shared interests, but their lifestyles are very different.’
Claire and Ricky remained on friendly terms after their relationship ended, and in June she reposted a video that announced Ricky’s plans to return to boxing, with the caption: ‘This is brilliant.’
Chelsea Claire
Prior to his Dancing On Ice debut, Ricky had split from playboy model Chelsea Claire, who was 14 years his junior.
The pair enjoyed a brief fling in 2023, which began that summer, and they kept things under wraps until October of that same year.
Chelsea works as a model for Playboy and regularly shares saucy snaps on social media.
Prior to his Dancing On Ice debut, Ricky dated playboy model Chelsea Claire, who was 14 years his junior, but their romance fizzled out in late 2023
While the relationship seemed to be going well, work commitments put a strain on things, and they split while Ricky threw himself into training on the rink.
A source told The Sun: ‘Ricky and Chelsea had a great time together, but it ended up being more of a fling.
‘They are at very different stages of their life and Ricky is really throwing himself into training and wants to concentrate on that. Things are still really amicable and they will be friends going forward.’
Angela Blemmings
Ricky went public with his then-girlfriend Angela Blemmings in July 2022.
He took the beauty therapist – owner of EyeCandy beauty salon in Stalybridge – on a romantic getaway to Dublin.
Ricky was also preparing for a delayed comeback fight against Marco Antonio Barrera that autumn, showing off a slimmed figure despite indulging in a few pints of Guinness on the trip.
Ricky went public with beauty therapist Angela Blemmings in July 2022, but they split the following year
Angela went Instagram-official with Ricky on June 30, 2022, when she shared a cosy selfie of the two of them and captioned it: ‘Lovely afternoon with the best company.’
She even shared the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year red carpet with Ricky in December.
But the following year was clearly less celebratory for the couple as they went their separate ways.
Marie Pollard
In 2017, Ricky started a relationship with long-term ‘bezzie’ Marie Pollard, with the then-39-year-old posting a slew of snaps with his new partner over the course of the year.
On one of their most entertaining early dates, Ricky was hoping to take Marie to the Church Inn, but instead of an alehouse the pair ended up at a house of God.
A source told The Sun of the star’s romance with Marie: ‘He’s known Marie for years, but now they’ve grown close.
‘Since splitting from Jennifer, Ricky has had a tough time with love. He’s made his name for himself being a fighter but in reality he’s just a big softie.
In 2017, Ricky started a relationship with long-term ‘bezzie’ Marie Pollard
The pair had split by the following year, but did attempt – unsuccessfully – to rekindle things in 2021
‘He’s been friends with Marie for years, but it’s only recently that they’ve grown close. Marie keeps herself in great shape and caught the eye of Ricky. And just like in his career, he’s definitely punching above his weight.’
Despite meeting Ricky’s family, and spending time with him watching another thing close to his heart – Manchester City FC – the couple had separated by July 2018.
Ricky managed to rekindle his romance with Marie in 2021, but for less than 12 months, with the former boxer going public with new girlfriend Angela Blemmings in July 2022.
Charlie Nordell
Shortly after his first split from Marie in 2018, Ricky shared a gallery of pictures with his new girlfriend, Charlie Nordell, on a trip to Las Vegas.
The couple stayed at the prestigious Caesar’s Palace hotel and posed for a number of smitten snaps to celebrate their romantic break.
The sportsman commented: ‘Nice to go to Vegas for a night and not get knocked the f*** out.’
Ricky jokingly called his girlfriend of two years Charlie Nordell (right) the ‘fun police’ as she helped him stay on the straight and narrow after years battling drink and drugs
Ricky affectionately called Charlie the ‘fun police’ as she was one of those who had attempted to keep him on the straight and narrow since his 2012 retirement.
However, the pair split after two years as a source told The Sun they ‘wanted different things’ with Charlie planning a move to Dubai for 2020.
At the time, a rep for Ricky said: ‘The split was amicable, they keep in touch and remain as friends.’
Jennifer Dooley
In his early 20s, Ricky had a brief relationship with a woman known only as Claire, who went on to have his boxer son, Campbell Hatton, who was born on January 9, 2001.
Ricky had his longest relationship with Jennifer Dooley, from 2005 to 2016.
Jennifer was there for some of the highest points of his career, seeing him win or retain multiple world titles as well as being there for the presentation of his MBE in 2007’s New Year Honours.
Ricky had his longest relationship with Jennifer Dooley, from 2005 to 2016, and she was at his side for some of the highest points of his career (pictured receiving his MBE in 2007)
The pair had a turbulent relationship, with Ricky’s boozy nights out with other women eventually proving too much for the woman with whom he had two daughters
Lecturer Jennifer even quit her job at Manchester College of Arts and Technology in 2007 to go and watch his title fight against Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, which the undefeated British fighter lost.
Ricky proposed to Jennifer on Valentine’s Day of 2009. He fatefully named the couple’s Cheshire house the ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ after Elvis Presley’s hit track.
In 2010, a video of Ricky taking cocaine was leaked, leading him to begin rehab as Jennifer stood by him.
However, another month later, Irish boxing champion Emma Bowe told the Mirror of how she had been having an 11-month affair with the boxer after getting his autograph in Dublin.
A rocky period between Jennifer and Ricky after the fighter’s retirement in 2012 included him moving in and out of their £3million home a number of times.
A December 2013 holiday bust-up led to Ricky moving out and after moving back in again months later, in June 2014, he moved out for a second time after going AWOL during a boozy trip to Lanzarote.
But their turbulent year was put behind them in 2015 when they went on holiday to Tenerife with their two daughters.
In 2016, however, another string of drink-fuelled nights out for Ricky put a final end to his and Jennifer’s 11-year relationship, after he was pictured looking worse for wear partying with other girls in his arms.
Pals told Sunday People at the time that Jennifer was tired of his partying so ended their long-term romance.
Ricky said of Jennifer: ‘It’s very upsetting when you’ve been in such a long-term relationship and it comes to an end. I can’t deny there are times I have found things difficult.’
The year after that split, Ricky enjoyed a night out with Playboy model Carla Howe – but rumours of a romance were never confirmed.
