Shocking Leak: CCTV Captures Ricky Hatton’s Final Hours as Autopsy Reveals Devastating Secret in Mystery Bag

In a development that has sent shockwaves through the boxing world and beyond, exclusive leaked CCTV footage has emerged showing former world champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton returning to his Hyde home in the early hours of September 14, 2025. The grainy black-and-white video, timestamped at 3:12 a.m., captures the 46-year-old icon stumbling slightly as he approaches his front door, a nondescript black duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Hours later, Hatton was found dead inside the property, and a police autopsy has reportedly uncovered a “shocking detail” within that very same bag – details of which are only now surfacing amid intense media scrutiny and public grief.

The footage, obtained by this outlet from an anonymous source close to the investigation, marks the first visual record of Hatton’s final movements before his tragic passing. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed Hatton’s body was discovered around 6:45 a.m. that Sunday following a welfare check initiated by concerned friends after he failed to appear at a local gym session and a boxing event the previous evening. Initially, authorities stated the death was “not being treated as suspicious,” but the leak has reignited speculation, forcing GMP to address mounting questions about the autopsy findings.

Sources familiar with the post-mortem examination, conducted earlier this week at a Manchester coroner’s facility, reveal that the bag contained a lethal cocktail of prescription medications and illegal substances – including high doses of cocaine, antidepressants, and opioids – far exceeding therapeutic levels. Toxicology reports, leaked alongside the CCTV, indicate these items contributed directly to Hatton’s cause of death: a fatal overdose compounded by acute cardiac arrest. The “shocking detail”? A handwritten note tucked inside the bag’s inner pocket, addressed to his three children – son Campbell, 24, and daughters Millie and Fearne – expressing profound remorse over his lifelong battles with addiction and mental health. “I’ve fought my last round, kids. Dad’s sorry he couldn’t win this one. Love you more than any belt,” the note reportedly reads, in Hatton’s unmistakable scrawl.

This revelation paints a heartbreaking portrait of a man who, just days prior, appeared poised for a glorious comeback. Hatton, the Stockport-born light-welterweight and welterweight king who amassed a 45-3 professional record, had announced plans for a December exhibition bout in Dubai. Social media clips from September 11 showed him pounding a heavy bag in his home gym, sweat-drenched and grinning, captioning one post: “Evening run in the bag. Don’t you worry about that, our kid. #Hitman #BlueMoon.” Fans and fellow fighters hailed it as vintage Hatton – the relentless warrior whose raucous Manchester City-supporting crowds once filled Las Vegas arenas to capacity.

Yet, behind the bravado, Hatton had long grappled with demons that no opponent could touch. His 2023 documentary Hatton laid bare his struggles with depression, cocaine addiction, and alcohol abuse following his 2012 retirement. A 2010 suicide attempt after a humiliating loss to Vyacheslav Senchenko left him hospitalized, and whispers of relapses had circulated in boxing circles for years. Friends now reveal that Hatton was “devastated” by the recent suicide of a close confidant – a fellow ex-fighter unnamed out of respect – just weeks before his death. “Ricky was grieving hard,” one source told this outlet. “He’d been injured sparring lightly, nothing major, but it shook him. He was due to sign that Dubai deal on the Monday. The bag was packed for the trip – clothes, scripts for his comeback promo. But that other bag… it was his escape hatch.”

The CCTV leak adds a layer of eerie finality. In the 45-second clip, Hatton pauses at his doorstep, fumbling with keys under the dim porch light. He glances back toward the empty street, as if expecting company, before disappearing inside. No visitors are seen entering or leaving afterward. His manager, a longtime ally, reportedly let himself in hours later, discovering the scene that shattered the sports world. Tributes poured in immediately: Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, a Manchester icon like Hatton, posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Absolutely devastated… Ricky was one of our own.” Boxing rival-turned-friend Amir Khan echoed, “We lost a warrior, a mentor. Rest well, Hitman.” Even Manchester City held a minute’s applause during their derby clash that day, with fans chanting his name in unison.

Public reaction has been a torrent of sorrow laced with outrage over the privacy breach. On X, hashtags like #JusticeForRicky and #HitmanForever trended globally, with users decrying the leak as “vulture journalism” while demanding transparency from authorities. Conspiracy theories abound – some linking Hatton’s death to unproven COVID-19 vaccine side effects, citing his “sudden” passing without immediate autopsy details. Others speculate foul play tied to his Dubai deal, pointing to the bag’s contents as planted evidence. GMP swiftly dismissed these, issuing a statement: “The investigation remains ongoing, but we reiterate there are no suspicious circumstances. We urge the public to avoid speculation and respect the family’s privacy during this unimaginable time.”

Hatton’s family, in their first public words since the tragedy, struck a defiant tone of love amid the chaos. Released via GMP on September 17, the statement read: “We are all distraught… To all our knowledge, despite his well-documented struggles, Richard was in a good place. He was excited for the future; his bag was packed ready to go to Dubai… and he was planning a celebration in Dubai of which his beloved girls Millie and Fearne were to be the centre.” Son Campbell, himself a rising boxer, added a personal plea: “Dad crammed more into a month than some lifetimes. I take comfort he’s found the peace that eluded him.” Ex-girlfriend Claire Sweeney, the Coronation Street star with whom Hatton shared a whirlwind romance in 2024, posted a tearful tribute: “Ricky, you were the people’s champ. We adored and cherished you. Love you always.”

As the boxing community mourns, Hatton’s legacy endures as a cautionary yet inspiring tale. From his 2001 IBF light-welterweight triumph over Kostya Tszyu – a ninth-round stoppage that ignited “Hatton fever” – to epic defeats against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 and Manny Pacquiao in 2009, he embodied the grit of working-class Britain. His post-retirement work promoting young talents, including son Campbell, and advocacy for mental health through Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, touched countless lives. “Ricky opened our inpatient unit and spoke so kindly about mental health struggles,” the trust said. “We will never forget his support.”

The leaked footage and autopsy details raise profound questions about celebrity, privacy, and the invisible scars of fame. How did a man planning a global comeback slip into such despair? Was the note a final cry for help, or a premeditated farewell? And in an era of instant leaks and viral grief, who safeguards the vulnerable? For now, as floral tributes pile high outside Hatton’s Gee Cross home – gloves, scarves in City blue, and notes reading “Pride of Hyde Forever” – the answers remain locked in that fateful bag.

Hatton’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, captured the sentiment at a press conference this week: “You can’t polish a turd, but Ricky was pure gold. His story isn’t over – it’s a reminder to check on your mates.” Indeed, in the days since, hotlines for addiction and suicide prevention have reported spikes in calls from the UK. The Hitman’s final punch may have been against himself, but his fight continues to inspire others to lace up and battle on.

Ricky Hatton: 1978–2025. Rest in peace, champ. The ring – and the world – feels emptier without you.