Ricky Hatton's death leaves Gary Neville 'sick' as he reflects on time together

Manchester United legend Gary Neville paid an emotional tribute to former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton. The 46-year-old was found dead at his home over the weekend.

Following the news on Sunday, tributes from the world of both boxing and the wider sporting family poured in. There was a minute’s applause ahead of the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium, with both clubs putting the rivalry aside and showing their respects, with Hatton having been a big Manchester City fan.

His beloved team ultimately won the game 3-0, and speaking after the derby, Neville took time to send his own touching tribute.

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Speaking on the , he said: “The only smile you could possibly have is around Ricky Hatton, thinking that he’s somewhere watching this game and his beloved Manchester City have won this match.

"Because to me today, I feel sick in my stomach, from the moment this morning, late morning, when that news broke through, that’s the only thing really that’s taken my mind today.

“Someone who is an unbelievable Mancunian, someone who carried Manchester all around the world, to America in massive fights, he lit up the city and the arenas of the city with his boxing, someone who went in and literally fought like everything hung on it every single time, a warrior.

“When you talk about football players and do they care? You never doubted that about Ricky Hatton when he went into the ring.

“I met him a number of times in my life, grounded, earthy, a family man, someone you’d say, ‘What a good lad.’ I remember two or three years ago it was our Christmas party, and Ricky turned up, he wasn’t invited.

"I remember having a drink with him, that was the sort of lad he was, whether you were blue or whether you were red, he cared about Manchester a lot and he cared about his country.

“Today is a devastating day, when you think of the love that he had for this club and the support that he gave to this football club, he would have absolutely loved this afternoon, he’d have been out tonight in Manchester with his mates having a beer, having a laugh and to think that’s not going to happen again it’s heartbreaking it really is.”

Neville added: “I’m a United fan, I wanted United to win, but the only potential sort of smile you could give that result is that Ricky would have enjoyed today. 46 years of age is no age and it will take quite a bit of time for the city to get over that news because he was a very, very popular man.

“He was someone that United fans loved, someone that City fans loved, all Mancunians loved and he did an awful lot for the city. He was a champion, a champion in the ring and a champion out of the ring.”

The news of Hatton’s death comes not long after it was announced that he was due to return to boxing.

He was due to take part in an exhibition fight with United Arab Emirates’ Eisa Dah in December, and has recently posted updates on social media showing him preparing for the bout.