2 yıl önce

'Time to hang up my gloves': Amir Khan announces end of his boxing career

The 35-year-old Olympic silver medallist became unified world champion in 2011 and has to his credit 34 wins from 40 fights.

Reuters

Amir Khan has thanked his teams, family, friends and fans for the love and support.

Britain's former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan has announced his retirement from boxing after defeat to compatriot Kell Brook in February.

Khan, Olympic lightweight silver medallist at the 2004 Athens Games when he was 17 years old, won the WBA light-welter belt from Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnyk in 2009 and added the IBF title in 2011 when he beat American Zab Judah.

He bows out with a record of 34 wins from 40 fights, with six defeats.

His latest was a sixth round stoppage against long-term rival Brook, who retired last week, in Manchester.

"It’s time to hang up my gloves," the 35-year-old, who turned professional in 2005, said on Twitter.

"I feel blessed to have had such an amazing career that has spanned over 27 years."

It’s time to hang up my gloves.
I feel blessed to have had such an amazing career that has spanned over 27 years.
I want to say a heartfelt thanks and to the incredible teams I have worked with and to my family, friends and fans for the love and support they have shown me. pic.twitter.com/VTk0oxVjp2
— Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) May 13, 2022

Frustrating end

A controversial points loss against American Lamont Peterson later in 2011 brought the British boxer's reign to a frustrating end but he was reinstated as WBA title holder after Peterson tested positive for a banned substance in the lead-up to the rematch.

But it was a short reign as he was savagely stopped by Danny Garcia in 2012, a defeat that marked the last time he came into the ring holding a major world title.

Khan leapt two divisions to face Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in 2016 for the WBC middleweight title but the Mexican ended matters clinically with a devastating one-punch sixth-round knockout.

Despite his waning performances in the ring, his appeal with the British public was cemented by an appearance on TV reality show "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" in 2017.

Khan was also stopped inside six rounds by WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford in 2019 before surprisingly teaming up and training alongside the American in Colorado for his much-anticipated fight against Brook earlier this year.

But there would be no storybook ending as Khan's face was left battered and bruised before he was stopped on his feet.

SOURCE: TRTWorld and agencies