Noel Gallagher has revealed he was exchanging texts with Ricky Hatton just days before the boxing legend’s tragic death.
Hatton, a former world champion and British sporting icon, was found dead at his home in Greater Manchester on Sunday morning aged 46.
Born in Stockport, Hatton was one of Manchester’s most beloved figures. While he fought across the country, many of his iconic moments took place in his hometown including his 2005 world title victory over Kostya Tszyu.
Hatton was a hugely popular figure and struck up a close friendship with the Gallagher brothers who joined him for his ringwalk in Las Vegas for his 2008 showdown with Paulie Malignaggi.
Noel and Liam each carried one of Hatton’s world titles down to the ring with Liam giving two fingers to the Vegas crowd.
The former light-welterweight and welterweight champion was a lifelong Oasis fan and was in attendance for the shows at Heaton Park this summer. Noel was in contact with his friend just last week, paying tribute to a ‘great Mancunian’.
‘We were texting each other last week,’ Noel told talkSPORT. ‘I saw him at Heaton Park a couple of times that night, and he was on standard Ricky form.
‘We don’t know what has happened, but he did struggle with mental health, and it just shows you that you never really know.
‘It is such a shame because he is a great Mancunian, and a lovely, lovely lad; he was one of us.
‘We did a tour of South America, and he came along with all his mates for the week, and it was like he was part of the band for a week.
‘It is a real shame for his family and his kids, and his grandkids. I was really gobsmacked by it.
‘But he had an amazing career, and the night Liam and I carried his belts out in Vegas was one of the funniest nights ever. It was an honour for us to do that, but it was a funny night with him.
‘It’s sad we will never see him at the Etihad again.’
Either side of his win over Malignaggi, Hatton fought two all-time legends in Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquiao. But having Liam and Noel carry his belts down to the ring that night was something Hatton regarded as one of the biggest moments of his career.
In January, Hatton said: ‘Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a boxing world champion, support Man City and listen to Oasis.
‘But I became a four-time world champion in two weight classes, ended up boxing at the Etihad Stadium in front of 55,000 people, and became mates with Noel and Liam Gallagher over the years.
‘I’ve had bigger wins no disrespect to Paulie but the performance and the occasion with Noel and Liam carrying the belt was one of the highlights in my career.’
