Ricky was my hero and a friend. I want to do him proud

BRAD REA had one golden rule on a night out with Ricky Hatton - always fight fire with fire.

- BY MARTIN DOMIN

From idol to friend to mentor, Rea saw every side of the British boxing legend, who passed away last month.

As a youngster, he insisted his first pair of boxing shorts were a replica of Hatton's sky-blue outfit (right). He would grab a photo whenever Hatton presented trophies at amateur shows.

As Manchester City fans, they bonded during riotous afternoons watching Pep Guardiola's side romp to Premier League titles.

And ultimately, Hatton would be in Rea's corner at the same arena in which he had become a household name. But it was away from the lights when the real 'Rick' came out to play.