BRITISH boxer Dave Allen shared a touching story in tribute to Ricky Hatton.
The legendary fighter’s funeral took place in his home city of Manchester on Friday.
The service was attended by some of the biggest names in boxing, including Tyson Fury and Tony Bellew.
Doncaster-based boxer Allen, 33, joined in with tributes to the former two-weight world champion.
Allen told iFL TV: “I’ve always told the same story about Ricky.
“When I watched Floyd Mayweather-Hatton as a 15-year-old, I didn’t have a clue about boxing before I watched it, I didn’t really know who either of them were.
“I think about 11 or 12 years later, I’m on the bus ride, reading the Metro.
“Ricky Hatton used to write a column in the Metro and it said: ‘my mate Dave Allen is fighting,’ and I was so f*****g proud.
“I couldn’t believe it, Ricky Hatton said I was his mate in the paper.
“I honestly was buzzing, because he was a genuine legend of British boxing, but he was bigger than boxing as well.”
“I’d never been so happy in my life when I saw that. I put [the paper] in my gym bag and took it home.
Allen also opened up on the personal relationship the pair shared.
He continued: “I got to know him pretty well over the years, used to see him all over.
“He used to grab hold of me and hug me. The last [Johnny] Fisher fight I saw him in the hotel lobby, he kissed me on the head after the fight.
“I always got on really well with him.”
Hatton was found dead at his home in September, aged 46.
His son Campbell gave a stirring speech in memory of his father at the service at Manchester Cathedral.
He said: “I looked up to my dad in every aspect of life.
“All of that was fuelled by the love I had and always will have for him.
“I can’t explain how much I’m going to miss you, Dad.”