Tag: Manchester

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ricky Hatton funeral: Thousands line the streets as former world boxing champion laid to rest in Manchester

Ricky Hatton’s son Campbell paid an emotional tribute to his late father at his funeral in Manchester, saying “I can’t explain how much I’m going to miss you, dad.”

Thousands of mourners lined the streets during the procession, which started at Hatton’s local pub – the Cheshire Cheese in Hyde – at 9.45am on Friday ahead of a private memorial service from midday.

Former world champion Hatton was found dead at his home on September 14. Greater Manchester Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Campbell Hatton, who won 14 of his 16 fights before retiring from boxing last year, said of Ricky at the service: “We won’t be making any new memories – but the ones we did I will cherish for ever.”

The cortege included stops at Hatton’s boxing gym as well as the AO Arena, the venue where he secured his first world title with victory over Kosta Tszyu in June 2005.

It was led by the famous Reliant van from Only Fools And Horses. Hatton was a big fan of the sitcom and once bought one of the original three-wheelers, which he used to drive round his home city.

Those in attendance included Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, Hatton’s fellow boxers Tyson Fury, Frank Bruno and Tony Bellew, ex-England, Manchester United and Everton footballer Wayne Rooney and former England cricket captain Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff.

Speaking on his social media channels earlier in the day, Fury said of Hatton: “Today is the day of Ricky Hatton’s funeral.

“I’m not going to be alone when I say this, but Ricky inspired me as a young boy to go on and do great things in boxing. I wanted to be just like him. The ring walks, the flashy shorts, the fans, the chanting.

“When I was a little kid he was fighting for his world title against Kostya Tszyu in Manchester, I was there along with a lot of young kids who were inspired by Ricky.

“Without Ricky Hatton, Manchester, the North West, the UK wouldn’t have had so many boxing world champions inspired by the great ‘Hitman’. Rest in peace, Rick. See you soon buddy.”

Hatton’s mother, Carol, said in a statement read on her behalf at the service: “‘The Hitman’ was adored by his army of fans – the People’s Champion, and he would say that’s how he would want to be remembered.

“Long before this accolade he was our little champion from the day he was born.”

Hatton won 45 of his 48 fights and earned legions of fans, not only due to his boxing ability but also his down-to-earth demeanour, with tens of thousands of supporters travelling to see him take on Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

Mayweather and Pacquiao inflicted two of Hatton’s three defeats, with the third of those coming in his final bout, against Vyacheslav Senchenko in Manchester in May 2012.

Hatton – an ambassador for mental health charities and the Manchester-based Barnbaus, which supports homeless and vulnerable people – became a trainer after retiring before participating in an exhibition against Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022.

He was scheduled to return to the ring in a professional bout in December of this year.

Sky Sports pundit and former British and European middleweight champion Matthew Macklin said: “Everyone talks about Ricky being a man of the people, which he was, but it is easy to forget that he was an unbelievable boxer.

“He had unbelievable talent, an unbelievable work ethic.

“As a young fighter coming through looking up to him, he was a fantastic role model in how he trained, how he conducted himself with the media and other people.

“He was such a great, funny guy. His after-dinner speaking, he was on the level of stand-up comedy.

“He was funny off the cuff with quick one-liners, always coming back at you.” (SkySports)

Posted on by — Leave a comment

British police arrest 6 after deadly Manchester synagogue attack

Police on Saturday were questioning six people arrested on suspicion of terror offenses after an attack on a synagogue in northwest England that left two men dead and Britain’s Jewish community shocked and grieving.

Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police on Thursday outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to force his way into the building.

Three men and three women, aged between 18 and their 60s, were arrested in the greater Manchester area on suspicion of the “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism,” as police work to determine whether the attacker acted alone.

Congregation members Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Police say Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed officer as he and other congregants barricaded the synagogue to block Al-Shamie from entering. Three other men are hospitalized with serious injuries.

Detectives say Al-Shamie, a British citizen of Syrian origin who lived in Manchester, may have been influenced by “extreme Islamist ideology.” He wore what appeared to be an explosives belt, which was found to be fake.

Police said Al-Shamie was out on bail over an alleged rape at the time of the attack but had not been charged.

The attack has devastated Britain’s Jewish community and intensified debate about the line between criticism of Israel and antisemitism.

Recorded antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing war against Hamas in Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, a charity that provides advice and protection for British Jews.

Some politicians and religious leaders claimed pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which have been held regularly since the war in Gaza began, had played a role in spreading hatred of Jews. The protests have been overwhelmingly peaceful but some say chants such as “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” incite anti-Jewish hatred.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters have frequently accused critics of Israel for its conduct of the war of antisemitism. Critics see it as an attempt to stifle even legitimate criticism.

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the head of Orthodox Judaism in Britain, said the attack was the result of “an unrelenting wave of Jew hatred” on the streets and online.

Some also say the U.K.’s recognition of a Palestinian state last month has emboldened antisemitism — a claim the government rejects. Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy was interrupted by boos and shouts of “Shame on you” on Friday as he addressed a vigil for victims of the attack in Manchester.

Police in London urged organizers to call off a protest planned for Saturday to oppose the banning of the group Palestine Action, which has been labeled a terrorist organization by the government.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said protest organizers should “recognize and respect the grief of British Jews this week” and postpone the demonstration.

The group Defend Our Juries said it would not cancel the protest, where hundreds of people are expected to risk arrest by holding signs supporting the banned group.

Member Jonathon Porritt said protesters would “demonstrate huge respect and real grief for those affected by the absolute atrocity at Heaton Park.”

“But I don’t think that means that we should be asked to give up on our right to stand up for those who are being devastated by an ongoing, real-time genocide in Gaza,” he told the BBC. (CBS)