Farewell to the People’s Champion 🥊 Thousands Honor Ricky Hatton in Manchester Tribute #Boxing #RIP

Manchester bid a final farewell to one of its most loved sporting heroes today as two-weight world champion Ricky Hatton was laid to rest, with hundreds lining the streets.

Hatton, a popular character who unified the light-welterweight division and won a world welterweight title, was found dead aged 46 at his Hyde home on September 14.

The funeral will be held at Manchester Cathedral at noon, and a series of boxers were photographed arriving this morning, including Tyson Fury, who was wearing a suit featuring images of himself, along with Tony Bellew, Scott Welc,h, and Frazer Clarke.

As mourners reflected on his life and times, the funeral cortege departed from the Cheshire Cheese pub - Hatton's local - on Stockport Road in Hyde and traveled to Harehill Tavern before doves were released in Hatton's honor at The New Inn.

In a nod to Hatton's love of classic TV comedy, Only Fools and Horses, his yellow Reliant Robin van formed part of the cortege, transported on a low-loader trailer.

Some of the mourners waved Manchester City flags emblazoned with 'there's only one Ricky Hatton' as the cortege drove by the Cheshire Cheese at 9.45 am.

Hundreds stood outside the pub to pay their respect, and they burst into a respectful applause as the 'Trotters Independent Trading Co' van owned by Hatton stopped.

Many mourners placed flowers and tributes on the low-loader transporting the vehicle. Hatton's body was in a blue coffin with 'Blue Moon' etched on the side.

Among the mourners was super fan James Bowes, 36, who first met Ricky in 2002 and told the Daily Mail: 'I went to every fight with him. I even went to Las Vegas.