Noel Gallagher pays tribute to “great Mancunian” Ricky Hatton and reveals text exchanges days before death

Noel Gallagher has paid tribute to the “great Mancunian” Ricky Hatton, revealing that he had been texting him just days before his death.

Last week (September 14), the boxing legend was found dead in his home in Greater Manchester at the age of 46. No cause of death has been announced, and police are not treating it as a suspicious case.

Hatton was a longtime friend of both Noel and Liam Gallagher, with the Oasis brothers famously walking him to the ring and carrying his championship belts in Las Vegas for his bout against Paulie Malignaggi in 2008.

Hatton was also in attendance at one of Oasis’ giant homecoming shows at Heaton Park this summer and Noel has revealed in an interview on TalkSport that he had been in contact with him just days before he died.

“We were texting each other last week,” Gallagher said. “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.”

Remembering the time he spent with the former welterweight champion, Noel added: “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.”

Earlier this week, Liam also paid tribute to Hatton, writing: “Absolutely devastated to hear the news about RICKY HATTON, it was an absolute honour to know him and carry his belts RIP CHAMP LIVE FOREVER”.

Hatton was an avid fan of Oasis, once saying (per the Daily Mail): “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.”

He also spoke to Vegas Insider about Oasis’ reunion earlier this year: “I didn’t think they were going to get back together. Noel has said himself, when the fallouts happen then it’s over. Thankfully, he’s swallowed his pride, and they’ve got back together, and I’m made up. I’m excited to see them perform all of the old songs, and if they can get together and make new songs, how good is that?”

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