Audley Harrison announces his retirement from boxing
The 2000 Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison has announced his retirement from boxing.
Harrison became the first British fighter to win an Olympic gold medal in the super-heavyweight division when he was victorious in Sydney but he has flattered to deceive in the paid ranks.
While he challenged for a world title, two first-round knockout defeats – the latest of which came against Deontay Wilder over the weekend – in recent months have convinced the 41-year-old to end his career. His professional record stands at 31 wins and seven losses.
In a statement on his website entitled "I'm Retiring", he said: "There are only so many times you can fall before it becomes foolhardy to continue. I've fallen a lot, but winning the heavyweight title was a destination I really wanted to get to. Coming back from adversity has been synonymous with my life.
"I've done well to turn my life around, but sadly my dream to be a legitimate world champion will be unrealised.
"I believed if I was mentally and physically right, I could figure these young guns out. Saturday was my final chance to prove it. The thing that pulled me up was pride, so I wanted a chance to continue and go out on my shield. It was not to be …"
After the Olympics, Harrison signed a two-year, 10-fight deal worth £1m with the BBC which drew a welter of criticism and earned him the nickname "Fraudley" when he proceeded to fight a succession of journeymen.
His first four opponents comprised a private eye, a plastics factory worker, a part-time nightclub bouncer and a former publican who ran a car park near Bristol airport.