Tragic boxer Ricky Hatton “didn’t show up at the gym” and “missed a fight” in the hours before shock death, according to BBC boxing commentator Steve Bunce.
Ricky Hatton “didn’t show up at the gym” and “missed a fight” in the hours before death, according to Steve Bunce.
The boxer was found dead at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester on Sunday (14.09.25) at the age of 46 and now BBC boxing commentator Bunce has revealed Hatton sparked concerns for his welfare after he skipped a planned gym session on Friday (12.09.25) and failed to appear at a fight event in Bolton on Saturday (13.09.25).
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday, Bunce insisted Hatton’s death came as a huge shock. He said: “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, faced them and attacked them and solved them.
“He was preparing for an exhibition fight; like it is for so many fighters, the gym’s been his salvation. He was getting his body and his head in a better place …
“Apparently, talking to people, he didn’t show up on Friday at the gym, and he was meant to be at a fight last night, and he didn’t show up at the fight last night, and someone went to his house this morning … It is shocking news.”
Bunce insisted the tragedy is all the more shocking because Hatton had seemingly conquered his demons and was busy preparing for an exhibition bout in Dubai later this year.
He added: “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, but at the moment, I’m genuinely shocked by it. I mean, genuinely, I’m amazed by it …
“Those of us in the business have lived with Ricky’s up and downs over the last 15 years really … 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.
Then some of us that were closer to him were witness to the dark holes, the depression, to the terrible thoughts and to the lows, the absolute lows.
“But we’ve seen a very different Ricky a couple of times in the last few years, especially these last few months with the announcement of this fight against the guy in Dubai … But if you look at any images of him from the last two or three weeks, it’s as good as he’s looked in 15 years.
“And that’s why I think this will be an even bigger shock … He’d done fantastically well to get where he was and he’s been on such a good run recently … “
Bunce went on to reveal he initially didn’t believe the news and made a call in an attempt to find out.
He added: “My first reaction was I actually didn’t believe it. I called someone very close to him and tried to get some information from her and she could barely speak so I figured it was true.”
Ricky Hatton ‘didn’t show up at gym’ and ‘missed fight’ before shock death
