Hatton's toughest opponent remembers people's champion
As the boxing world mourns the loss of Ricky Hatton, a man who gave the British star one of his toughest nights has spoken of their friendship.
Hatton was found dead at the age of 46 on the weekend. Greater Manchester Police said his death was not being treated as suspicious.
The Hitman won world titles in two weight divisions but one of his first major fights was for the British light-welterweight belt in October 2000, when he beat Norwich's Jon Thaxton in a brutal 12-round contest at Wembley.
Thaxton said: "He was the people's champion and that's one title you cannot win – you have to earn it."
Despite being left bloodied and bruised at the end of the night, the pair became friends.
Despite bleeding heavily from a cut above his left eye in the first round, Hatton went the distance and beat Thaxton on points – going the full distance for the first time in his professional career.
Speaking to BBC Radio Norfolk, Thaxton recalled: "For 48 minutes in there we didn't like each other much, but after that, whenever we've seen each other on the circuit it's all been good. He came to my retirement dinner.
"He was a genuine, good person. I'm very proud of that fight.
"It wasn't my best performance but it was my most favourite fight and it did put my name out there a bit.
"People still talk about that fight and that's something to be proud of."
Since retiring in 2009, the former British and European lightweight champion, 51, has worked as a motivational speaker and an anti-bullying advocate.
He pointed to Hatton's public admissions about his struggles with mental health issues as being important to remember.
"No one knows what goes on behind someone's eyes. They might be laughing, playing the joker, they might have control of the room, but no-one really knows."
Neil Featherby promoted Thaxton's bouts and was there for that "unbelievable" fight 25 years ago.
He said that Hatton refused to take a fee when he came to Norwich in 2010 for a celebration event marking Thaxton's retirement, asking only for a few pints of Guinness.
"Ricky was always the first to say that Jon was his toughest opponent," Featherby added.
"We all thought it was going to be over very quickly because it was such a bad cut and we thought it was going to be stopped early.
"Jon said that at the end of the first round he thought he'd paid his mortgage off!"
The former international marathon runner also recalled crossing paths with Hatton in Manchester, alongside Norfolk boxer Danny McIntosh.
After putting the fighter through an intense workout in the heat, he remembered with a laugh: "We're both drenched and I'm in this black suit and black shoes – Ricky just looked at us and was laughing his head off and said, 'Only Norfolk boys could do this'."
Thaxton's former coach, Graham Everett, also fondly remembers the retirement dinner in 2010.
"He sat at the top table with us all and he was brilliant," Everett said. "He supported Jon, they had that lifelong friendship after their fight – and he was never interested in a rematch!
"He always laughed and joked about it. He was a great character and one of Britain's greatest ever boxers, without a shadow of a doubt."
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