The son of Ricky Hatton has stated his father’s death stopped him from taking his own life as the 25-year-old was battling with substance abuse and even attempted suicide previously
20:05, 24 Jun 2026Updated 20:07, 24 Jun 2026
Campbell Hatton has pulled back the lid on his battles with mental health
Ricky Hatton’s son has said his father’s death “saved” him as he admitted he was only weeks away from taking his own life.
Campbell Hatton, 25, has pulled back the lid and revealed he battled with substance abuse during the end of his career in the ring. The former boxer added he even attempted to end his own life. Campbell, the son of the late and great boxing legend , retired from the sport after he suffered back to back defeats and felt like he had lost his love for fighting.
The 25-year-old’s father Ricky died at age 46 at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester on September 14 last year. An inquest into the fighter’s death revealed he suffered from brain injury caused by his boxing career. During the inquest into Hatton’s death Campbell told the court his father was “very happy, always very laid back, except when it came to sport.”
Campbell Hatton, 25, son of Ricky Hatton
He described how his dad “lived his life in and out of the ring at 100%” but struggled with mental health battles and memory loss.
Campbell stated: “We felt he had been in the best place he had been in for years.” He added there was a “decline” in his father’s “short-term memory” over recent years before his death.
Campbell Hatton said his father ‘lived his life in and out of the ring at 100%’
Speaking to ITV about his own struggles Campbell stated: “I’ve spent time in rehab and I was just off the rails.
“There was a six months where I lost four people who were really close to me. Even before, I’d struggled to come to terms with retiring from boxing.”
He added: “Drinking was always part of that and I was getting treatment for addiction with cocaine as well. I think it all goes hand-in-hand.”
Ricky Hatton with his son Campbell in 2001
He said: “There was no thought to the future and it’s a bit of miracle that I am still here.” Campbell added: “When the police were breaking the news [of Ricky’s death], a lot of my family thought it going to be about me – and it probably were not far wrong. It was probably weeks off.”
Campbell stated losing Ricky “did sort of save me because I had to sort myself out”. Since his father’s death Campbell has taken massive steps forwards and is now preparing to step back into the ring. The 25-year-old has announced his return to the sport will be in June 2026 after Campbell signed a multi-fight deal with Misfits Boxing.
Ricky and Campbell Hatton
Campbell, who holds a very respectable 14-2 professional record in the ring, is aiming to honour his father’s legacy in a potential clash with the son of legendary former boxing champion ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed, Aadam Hamed.
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