Vegas nights with 'Rocky' Hatton's Mancunian army

Once Ricky Hatton rose to the elite ranks of international boxing, sweeping up titles with his exhilarating, all-action fighting style, there was only one place to go next – the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

From 2007 to 2009, thousands of Mancunians and fans from across the UK followed Hatton to Sin City's famous Strip to throw their support behind a boxer they lauded as the sport's 'people's champion'.

Hatton fought three times in arguably the sport's most prestigious venue, with each 10,000-mile round trip creating indelible memories.

His death at the age of 46 was announced on Sunday, and BBC Sport has spoken to some of those who travelled to Nevada to understand what it was about him that attracted such a devoted, adoring band of supporters.

A working-class fighter who grew up above a pub on a council estate and worked for a time in the family carpet business, Hatton's modest background and humble, good-natured personality endeared him to a hardcore set of fans from the very start of his career.

"When Ricky came along, we immediately felt like we had a connection with him, because he was so down to earth, so open and honest", says Jamie Hind, a 47-year-old fan who lived in Cheshire and Manchester during Hatton's career.

"You just felt like he you knew him and couldn't help but be carried on the wave of enthusiasm for him.

"Me and my pals were fortunate enough to see him fight a fair few times. We always made sure to make a proper night of it whenever he was fighting, and he gave us some great memories."

Hatton built up a stellar record in the light-welterweight ranks, winning 41 consecutive fights in a career that began in 1997 in Widnes, and the bright lights of America were irresistible.

Hatton fought and beat Colombia's Juan Urango and Mexican Jose Luis Castillo in Paradise, the neighbourhood that contains many of the famous Vegas tourist hotspots.

His reputation as a star attraction in Nevada was growing, as was his fanbase.

Armed with a 43-0 record, Hatton challenged global superstar Floyd Mayweather for his welterweight belts in 2007, this time at the MGM Grand.

This was in an era before Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury headlined stadiums.

It was Hatton's time, and it was witnessed by Hatton's people. Many planeloads of them.

A pre-fight weigh-in was attended by over 5,000 people, many of them travelling Hatton fans who serenaded him with chants of "Walking in a Hatton wonderland" while relentlessly booing pound-for-pound all-time great Mayweather.

Hatton was a Manchester City supporter, but he united Mancunians.

"I've never seen anything like that weigh-in," says Sean McManamon, a fan from Urmston who attended the Mayweather fight with his father and a friend.

"The Americans were stunned by the amount of people and the noise. It was deafening.

"We paid about £700 for tickets to the fight - they were right at the back, but we just had to be there.

"Ricky was a proper Mancunian. We're big United fans, but you put your football allegiance aside for Ricky Hatton."

A raucous crowd sang Hatton's name throughout the fight, but their hero was defeated by knockout in the 10th round. He claimed to have lost concentration after being infuriated by the referee's decision to deduct a point from his score in round six.

But the thousands who followed Hatton across the Atlantic were proud to have done so, and the contrast between the rugged Hatton and the pristine Mayweather drew in new fans.

"Thousands of us just descended on Vegas," says 45-year-old James Corcoran, a Hatton fan who hosts the Oasis Podcast and travelled for the Mayweather contest.

"The atmosphere was electric - everywhere you went, all you heard was 'One Ricky Hatton' being sung. Everyone loved him.

"Mayweather was American and the number one boxer in the world. But Ricky really connected with people there - there were lots of Americans supporting him.

"We're all often drawn to the athletes who aren't the polished, consummate professionals but feel more like someone you could have bumped into in the pub the night before.

"That's who he was. It's like the British Rocky story."

Hatton's next assignment was a May 2008 homecoming fight against Juan Lazcano, winning on points in front of 55,000 at the home of his beloved Manchester City.

That earned him a return to the MGM Grand six months later to defend his light-welterweight belts, and this time Hatton won big in Vegas, defeating the Italian-American Paulie Malignaggi whose corner threw in the towel in the 11th round.

Before the fight, so many travelling fans from the North West had made the trip that a beaming Hatton took part in a photo shoot in which he held up transparent bags full of tickets.

"I went to the Malignaggi fight with a few of my mates," says Jamie Hind. "It was an incredible experience being out there with all of the other fans from the North West who had come over.

"When it's somebody that you feel you have a real affinity with, heading to Vegas to back him just felt like it was an opportunity too good to miss, one of the best things you could do with your life."

A final return to Vegas came in 2009, when Hatton went head to head with Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino had already won titles in five different divisions and was too strong for Hatton, knocking him out in the second round.

It turned out to be the penultimate fight of Hatton's professional career, and the last in Vegas.

But the Stateside legacy that Hatton left, and the experiences he gave to the fans who travelled so far to cheer him on alongside their loved ones, will be cherished long after his untimely death.

"We still talk about going over there to follow him now," McManamon says.

"I don't see my mate who I went to the Mayweather fight with that much any more, but last time I did we spent ages talking about what a privilege it was to go and see Ricky fight there.

"Anyone who went to one of those fights will never forget it. He typified that Mancunian heart and sense of humour.

"He was one of the lads. That's why people loved him so much."