Undefeated for 9 1/2 years, Wladimir Klitschko hangs up his gloves as one of the all-time greats
Former world heavyweight champion, who reigned supreme from 2006-2015, announces his retirement at 41, scuppering hopes of a rematch with Joshua
Ukraine’s former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing on Thursday to scupper any hopes of a November rematch against Britain’s undisputed champ Anthony Joshua.
Hamburg-based Klitschko, 41, hangs up his gloves as one of the all-time greats of the ring after a nine-and-a-half year reign as heavyweight champion, which was ended in 2015.
Klitschko, who won super-heavyweight gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, was the undisputed world champion from 2006-2015, when he held several belts, before finally losing to Britain’s Tyson Fury on points in 2015.
Klitschko’s last fight was in April when he was stopped by Anthony Joshua in the 11th round of the WBA title fight at Wembley Stadium in London in a hard-fought bout in which both fighters hit the canvas.
Klitschko’s retirement dashes a mooted blockbuster rematch with Joshua possibly in Las Vegas in November. Such was the interest in Klitschko’s announcement that the demand crashed his website on Thursday morning.