Beijing Olympic champion James DeGale says he is starting a new chapter after calling time on his boxing career.
The 33-year-old won middleweight gold in 2008 by beating Cuba’s Emilio Correa and then followed that up by win a professional world title, becoming the first British boxer to achieve both.
The Londoner lost to Chris Eubank Jr at the weekend and has now decided to call it a day, a decade after his first professional bout.
"Today marks ten years since my professional debut fight on 28th February 2009 and today is the day I am announcing my retirement from boxing,” he said.
"It's been an unbelievable journey and I've had an amazing decade – if I'm honest, the best years of my life.
“And, having started boxing at the age of nine then being selected as part of the England amateurs squad, I've collected many memories along the way.
"It hard to admit that I'm not the fighter I once was, but I'm human and along the way, my injuries have taken a toll - both on mind and body and these things have contributed to impact my performance in the ring.
"I lost the fight on Saturday at The O2 but I'm touched to have a good send-off from the fans in my home city."
DeGale’s path to Olympic gold was phenomenal and came just 12 months after he lost in the first round of the World Amateur Championships.
In Beijing, he beat Mohamed Hikal 13-4 first up before breezing to wins against Shawn Estrada and Athens 2004 welterweight champion Bakhtiyar Artayev.
A 10-3 win against Ireland’s Darren Sutherland sent him through to the final, where he beat Correa 16-14.
Sportsbeat 2019