Former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton has launched an online fundraiser for the family of Mike Towell and made a £5,000 donation of his own.
The former light-welterweight and welterweight world champion set up the fundraising page on Saturday, just hours after it was confirmed that Dundee boxer “Iron” Mike Towell had died after collapsing in the ring on Thursday night.
Hatton, who is now a boxing promoter, has made a £5,000 donation to the page, which seeks to raise at least £20,000 for Towell’s family.
The 25-year-old boxer had a two-year-old son, Rocco, with his partner Chloe Ross.
Hatton inquired on Twitter if a fundraising page had been set up for Towell’s family.
When he learned there had not been one, he took matters into his own hands and set up his own.
He posted on Twitter:
Has anyone got a page going raising money for the family ?Not seen one need to make sure they ok. If not all start one and put some money in
— Ricky Hatton MBE (@HitmanHatton) October 1, 2016
Nearly £6,500 was raised in the first hour after Hatton set up the page and the total had already exceeded £10,000 by 3pm.
Hatton has also asked other boxers to contribute to the fund:
Lads who is in dig deep #miketowell #boxingfamily @EddieHearn @anthonyfjoshua @mrdavidhaye @scottquigg @TonyBellew @ant_crolla
— Ricky Hatton MBE (@HitmanHatton) October 1, 2016
Lads who is in dig deep @LennoxLewis @DavidPrice_1 @ricksterko @NigelGBenn RT and tag anyone else
— Ricky Hatton MBE (@HitmanHatton) October 1, 2016
He added:
2pm+we have done over 2k on top of mine.keep sharing+donating. Don't let the boxers off msg +tag them let's get some big donations off them?
— Ricky Hatton MBE (@HitmanHatton) October 1, 2016
