Rea – who fights Lyndon Arthur on November 1 – is in attendance and opened up on his special bond with the heroic Hitman.
READ MORE ON RICKY HATTON
He told SunSport: “I was lucky that I did have a good relationship and we were friends.
“But I think so many people, even people that maybe just met him once, maybe people that just got a picture with him once, seeing him in the pub or whatever, because of the way he was, everyone feels like they have that kind of personal connection with him.
“He was just down to earth and he was just one of us at the end of the day, no matter how big he made it.
“I think that’s why it has affected so many people and everyone does kind of feel like they know him in a way because he was so down to earth.
“So it’s been a tough one for me to take. It’s been a tough one for most of the boxing scene to take.”
Despite becoming inseparable, Rea admits the novelty of Hatton’s presence in his life never wore off.
I was last person to interview Ricky Hatton – I was gutted when our chat ended
He said: “It just kind of merged into one. I was with him so much and I’d see him so often and we’d spend so much time together in the gym kind of every day.
“You do kind of forget how big he was, how loved he was, and how many people he had an effect on.
“Then every now and again you’d be out sparring or you’d be walking down a residential street somewhere and you’d go, ‘It’s Ricky.’ You know what I mean?
“It’s not just Rick, this is the Hitman and, yeah every now and again I kind of had to pinch myself a little bit and go, ‘This is Ricky Hatton I’m sat in Nando’s with.’ It was a bit surreal.”
Despite Hatton’s superstardom and unrivalled fanfare – he dreaded ever being looked at as anything other than a working class people’s champion.
Rea said: “He was just one of the boys at the end of the day.
“He was so down to earth and that was why the other side come with it he didn’t think he was better than anyone else.
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Hatton became part of Rea’s corner teamCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
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The two celebrate a victoryCredit: @bradrea_
“He didn’t think he was a superstar and I think they probably go hand in hand, kind of just being so down to earth and then still being taken back by all the support.”
Two-weight world champion Hatton would spend 12 hard weeks preparing for his fights – and the rest of his time down the pub with his friends.
Rea was fortunate enough to have socialised with the boxing great – preferring to leave some of their more chaotic tales forever untold.
He beamed: “Oh, there’s so many. There’s so many but all of them I’m just laughing, I’m smiling because it’s just stupid times, rubbish jokes, cracking rubbish jokes.
“I’m lucky that I got multiple different sides of him. I got him as a coach, I had him as part of my team in my corner. I had him as a friend.
“I’ve been to the football with him. I’ve been out for a beer with him, I’ve been on a weekend to Dublin with him, I’ve had all different sides of him.
“I’ve got many memories to kind of look back on. Some stories that I can tell and some I’ll probably keep to myself!”
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Hatton and Rea socialised away from boxingCredit: @bradrea_
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Some of their tales will always remain untoldCredit: @bradrea_
Rea was hit with the devastating news just months before his European title defence against Arthur at the Co-Op Live Arena.
And he has since returned to Hatton’s Hyde – where emotions are high.
Rea, 27, said: “I’d not been there for a while. It is a bit surreal. It is a little bit weird.
“Every time I’ve been in there, the majority of the time he’s in there, and he’s cracking jokes, you know, he’s being Rick.
“But at the end of the day there’s me, there’s a load of other lads in there that still got a job to do and he’d be disappointed if we were moping about and we weren’t training.
“He’d want us to get back at it and he want us to crack on and. So you’ve kind of just got to keep cracking on and do what you can to try and make him proud.”
And the best way to make City super-fan Hatton proud? Beat United supporter Arthur – a friend of former sparring partner – in their hometown.
Rea chuckled: “You know what it is? It’s more how we’d react if I let myself get beat by a United fan!
“He would never let me hear the end of it. He would be on my case and I can’t do that to him. I can’t let him down on that front.”
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Rea faces Man Utd fan Lyndon Arthur on November 1Credit: @queensberrypromotions
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Arthur and Rea are former sparring partnersCredit: @bradrea_
BBC Breakfast paid a touching tribute to the Dancing on Ice star ahead of his funeral today (October 10), featuring an interview with Hatton’s former coach Blain Younis. Younis described Hatton as “a hero” to the local community, reports the Manchester Evening News.
“People are coming to lay flowers outside the gym and his house and you can just see how it’s impacted the town,” he said. “It’s like it’s hit people hard.”
“He was like the hero of Hyde,” he continued. “The astonishing thing was the heights he reached in boxing and celebrity life. He still knew everyone on a personal level around this town.”
BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt informed viewers that thousands were expected to line the streets of Greater Manchester to bid a final farewell to Hatton, before his midday funeral.
The procession will begin from Gee Cross in Hyde, making its way to Manchester Cathedral.
Hatton, who built a gym for his community, will have his procession pause there, allowing fans to reflect on their loss.
As mourners pass a pub cellar where the Hattons constructed a boxing ring, doves will be released in honour of the late sports star.
The procession will then reach Manchester Arena, a venue where Hatton often showcased his boxing prowess.
Hatton was found dead on 14 September.
His family later paid tribute, stating: “He had a heart as big as his smile, and his kindness, humour and loyalty touched everyone who was lucky enough to know him.
“As a family, our loss is immeasurable, and words cannot truly capture the pain we feel. Yet in the midst of our grief, we have been deeply moved by the overwhelming outpouring of love and support.
“Richard’s memory will forever remain in our hearts, in the hearts of his fans, and in the sport he loved so dearly.”
DARREN BARKER is gutted his heartbreaking interview with Ricky Hatton was the British boxing legend’s last.
The 43-year-old former middleweight champion of the world sat down with the 46-year-old at his Manchester gym on Tuesday September 9 for a wonderful 90 minute podcast.
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Darren Barker says he was “gutted” to be Ricky Hatton’s last interviewCredit: YouTube/Dazn
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Barker hailed Hatton as “a great man” and said he didn’t want their chat to endCredit: YouTube/Dazn
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The boxing legend was found dead at his home last monthCredit: PA
The two-weight world champ Hitman had to wrap-up the interview to collect his daughters from school.
And, tragically, on the morning of Sunday 14 the national treasure was found dead at his home, leaving Barker and the rest of British sport sobbing.
The hour-and-half chat is available online and lets Hatton brilliantly reflect on his small-hall rise, legendary Kostya Tszyu world title win, iconic Las Vegas takeovers and his post-boxing demons.
It is a travesty it will be his final media appearance but a perfect reminder of the honest, open, funny and brilliant boy-next-door Hatton was and will be remembered as.
Barker told us: “I remember leaving him after that interview and I was gutted because I enjoyed his company that much.
”I said this at the top of the pod, he was perfectly Ricky Hatton.
“He was so funny, so warm towards me and the crew that were there, he was just bang on, he was perfect.
“And it was so nice to hear all of those stories directly from him.
Ricky Hatton’s biggest boxing wins
Ricky Hatton tasted defeat just three times in an illustrious 46 fight career that saw him earn an estimated £37million in prize money. Here are some of his most memorable victories:
Tommy Peacock by TKO – In his 11th fight as a professional Ricky won his first title – the vacant Central Area light-welterweight belt – at Oldham Sports Centre
Jon Thaxton on points – Ricky picked up national honours when he defeated Thaxton for the vacant British light-welterweight strap at Wembley Conference Centre in 2000
Kostya Tsyzu retired – In front of a rapturous home crowd inside Manchester’s MEN Arena, Ricky became a world champion for the first time. He won the IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles against the former undisputed champ Tsyzu
Luis Collazo unanimous decision – Just three fights later Ricky added to his title collection, claiming the WBA light-welterweight title stateside by beating tough Collazo over 12 rounds
Paulie Malignaggi TKO – Ricky’s final boxing victory came against loud-mouthed American-Italian fighter Malignaggi in Las Vegas. The Hitman let his fists do the talking and stopped his foe in the 11th round. He earned a cool $2.5million for his night’s work.
Six months later Ricky would taste defeat for a second time, the first being against Floyd Mayweather in 2007, against Phillippino superstar Manny Pacquiao. He suffered a brutal second round knockout and was taken to hospital for a precautionary brain scan
“He was just a person that everyone wanted to be around; a great man, a boxing man, a family man, the people’s man and I was gutted that the interview was over.
“I was just gutted. I really am gutted.”
Barker – without any hint or suggestion of the tragedy that was around the corner – asked Hatton outright how he wanted to be remembered.
And his answer was a magnificent reminder of how the Manchester City and Oasis lover cherished his working-class reputation over every belt and pound he ever earned.
Last Ricky Hatton interview filmed just four days before death is released as boxing icon ‘tells story for final time’
He said: “He was just that man-next-door, that relationship that he had with his fans.
“When I asked him how he wanted to be remembered, he mentioned the likes of Frank Bruno and Nigel Benn.
“And his name is in that mix and he was so proud to be alongside those great names.”
Darren Barker hosts Pro Project Promotions’ charity boxing event on October 18, that offers ten retired footballers another night in the limelight .
