Boxing: Jane Couch and Ricky Hatton inducted into Hall of Fame

Aged 27, Couch took the British Boxing Board of Control to court to force them to license her, which ended a ban on women fighting in the country.

“It’s a bit surreal really – I mean there’s Ali, [Joe] Frazier in there,” she said. “It takes a while to sink in. When you look at women’s boxing in the UK, well I suppose I did do it [have a huge impact].

“I just realised how hard I did work and had to travel abroad to do it as well. A lot of the decisions that could have gone my way if I was at home.

“I was a bit of a warrior, stubborn, I just wanted to make a difference and I certainly did that.

“But 39 pro fights, five world titles, the MBE and now the Hall of Fame – wow.”

Hatton joined close friend Couch in the United States to attend the ceremony.

The Manchester native won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and was undefeated in 43 fights before his encounter with Mayweather in 2007.

Hatton lost that bout, but is regarded as one of the best, and most popular, boxers England has ever produced.

He retired with 45 wins and just three defeats on his record.

The 2024 inductees were decided by the Boxing Writers Association of America and an international panel of boxing historians.