Ricky Hatton’s ex-girlfriend has spoken of her heartbreak at the death of the legendary British boxer aged 46.

Tributes have flooded in from far and wide and now his former partner Chelsea Claire has given her thoughts about the tragic loss, calling him an ‘inspiration’.

Hatton was found at his Manchester home and his death is not being treated as suspicious.

Chelsea, a model 14 years Hatton’s junior, met the sporting star at The Dubliner Bar in Tenerife in 2023 after which they began a relationship.

Sharing a picture of herself with Hatton on Instagram, Chelsea wrote: ‘Heartbroken doesn’t begin to cover what myself and the rest of the world are feeling.

‘You were an inspiration to many and I was lucky to call you my partner. You will be missed so much.’

Of their first meeting, she told the Sun: ‘I didn’t know who he was but my friend offered to buy him a drink.

‘Instead, he looked over at me and asked me what I wanted. I said a Fireball. We both got them then went on the dance floor most of the night.

‘He’s not afraid to take the p**s out of himself and was doing the worm. He had me laughing all night.

‘I can’t say his dancing was as good as his karaoke. He sang Wonderwall by Oasis and he’s a really good singer. But he was just a real character and he added my Instagram that night so we could see each other again.’

The relationship lasted four months and Chelsea later reflected that she was stung by claims that it was just a fling, adding that she had been in love with Hatton.

Hatton struggled after his retirement from a stellar career that made him a world champion and household name, suffering with depression and substance abuse issues.

He then managed to turn his life around, getting back in shape for an exhibition fight with Marco Antonio Barrera.

The Stockport fighter also recently announced his return to the ring for another such showcase, before news of his tragic passing sent shockwaves through the sporting world and beyond on Sunday.

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Claire said that Hatton charmed her when they met in a bar in Tenerife

Another of Hatton’s ex-girlfriends, Claire Sweeney, posted a sweet message to the boxer just weeks before his death.

Actress Claire, 54, who dated Ricky last year and remained good friends with him, was supportive of his recent comeback announcement.

Weeks ago she shared a video announcing his return to the sport. ‘This is brilliant’, she captioned it.

Hatton struck up a romance with Coronation Street star Claire when they spent time together while competing on Dancing On Ice in January 2024.

His Dancing On Ice skating partner Robin Johnstone also paid tribute to Ricky in a statement, admitting he’d been doing ‘so well’ before his death.

She told The Mirror: ‘I’m devastated. It’s so sad. Ricky was a friend.

‘My last memory of him is him looking out at me on the ice during Torvill and Dean’s show, with his girls and his eyes were just lit up, he was so excited to watch us, as were his girls. His kids were everything to him…

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Ricky Hatton’s ex and close friend Claire Sweeney posted a sweet message to the boxer just weeks before his death

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He was found at his home in Greater Manchester this morning, where a police cordon currently sits outside, and his death is not being treated as suspicious

‘Out of all my partners on the show, we kept in touch the most. He was in training mode and seemed in such good form, he was asking how we were… we were on the Torvill and Dean tour, and his girls came with him to see the show. We’ve met his girls quite a few times.’

Daily Mail Sport understands that friends were initially concerned on Saturday night, when Hatton failed to appear at an event featuring one of his boxers.

And news then broke on Sunday morning, devastating the sporting world and boxing fraternity in particular.

Tyson Fury, Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan were among those to pay their own tributes to ‘Hitman’, who captured the interest of a generation of fans, even bringing 30,000 of them with him for the huge clash with Floyd Mayweather.

Hatton, who was awarded an MBE for services to sport in 2007, had been due to be at the Manchester derby on Sunday.

The players and fans observed a minute’s applause in a poignant scene on the pitch prior to kick-off on an emotional day for the city.