CHRIS Eubank Snr has shared an emotional tribute to good friend Ricky Hatton after after his tragic death – as he pleaded for more support for retired boxers.
The former world champion was found dead at his home on Sunday morning at the age of 46.
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Fan favourite Hatton, known as The Hitman, was a beloved figure in Manchester for his boxing career.
He won four world titles after trading blows with some of history’s greatest fighters including Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
British former professional boxer Chris, 59, joined hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on ITV This Morning to reflect on the sad loss.
Chris told the presenters: “I mean what can I say, it’s a great loss for boxing.
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“You have a man on him who carried the nation for a while in terms of pride and standards.
“In terms of boxing, he was a tremendous fighter.”
Chris expressed the need for more support and help for retired boxers – saying they’re simply not trained to become public figures.
He continued: “You make world champion and you become a standard bearer for the people, you have people who look up to you and follow you.
“Becoming world champion, fighters are not trained to become public figures and I think we need to look at having a back-up system for fighters in many respects.
“It’s a tremendous amount of pressure that goes upon a man who wins the world championship, where the entire world, especially the country are looking at him and what he stands for.”
Remembering his dear friend, Chris said: “As I knew Ricky, I knew him as a lovely, happy go lucky, jocular, fun, man of the people.”
Chris went on to explain that life after a successful career in boxing can be very different when you’re no longer in the ring.
“I was born into a spiritual family, so I’ve always had a back-up, I’ve always replied on the spirit that lives within.
“When I retired I went to the spirit, I effectively walked around for a bit, but effectively the spirit looked after me.
“But for fighters, they don’t teach us about it.
“I’d just like to say this, Millie, Fearne and Campbell you should be proud of your father.
“The shoes he walked in, you never know how hard it is to walk in those shoes.
“That man, it’s tremendous what he did. For where he came from, for who he is, tremendous.
“I would like to add this last thing, all you promoters, all you broadcasters, please look after the fighters.
“It is a vocation unlike any other, a punch in a ring, it hurts, brain damage happens.
“Promoters, broadcasters… we have to find a way to look after fighters when they retire.”
It is understood friends were initially worried after The Hitman missed a gym session on Friday and did not show up for a fight event in Bolton on Saturday, featuring one of his young boxers.
They then made a “concern for welfare” call to the police.
Cops discovered Ricky’s body at his £1.75million mansion in Hyde, Gtr Manchester, just before 7am.
Police yesterday said that the death was not being treated as suspicious.
Tributes flooded in from all over the world for fan favourite and working class hero Ricky — one of the biggest personalities in boxing.
Former champ Amir, who is from nearby Bolton and credits pal Ricky as being a major inspiration, said yesterday: “Today we lost not only one of Britain’s greatest boxers, but a friend, a mentor, a warrior, Ricky Hatton.”
The tragedy came just five days after Ricky sent a heartfelt message to a bullying victim — urging the boy to “keep your chin up”.
He told the youngster, called Louie, to keep going to boxing training to gain confidence.
In the clip, Ricky tells him: “I believe you’ve been having a tough time at school by a couple of bullies. Even I had a bully when I was at school.
“But you’ve done the right thing taking up the boxing, not so you can get your own back on him and beat him up, but boxing gives you confidence, doesn’t it?
“And the minute these bullies see you’ve got a little bit of confidence, they’ll leave you alone.”
The grandad recently announced he was going to lace up his gloves again on December 2 for a Dubai dust-up with Eisa Aldah – thirteen years after his ill-fated comeback against Vyacheslav Senchenko.
Ricky won world titles at both light-welterweight and welterweight and traded blows with some of history’s greatest fighters during a glittering 15-year career.
In his prime, he beat ring greats such as Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo, before going on to suffer knockout losses to superstars Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao in 2009.
He will be remembered as one of the greatest UK fighters of his generation.
Ricky was awarded an MBE in 2007 and had worked as a boxing promoter and trainer since hanging up his gloves.
Hatton’s stellar career spanned from 1997 to 2012, in which he held multiple world championships.
After his retirement he struggled with alcohol abuse and depression, but got himself back on the straight and narrow three years ago for an exhibition bout with Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera.
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