Sunday 17 June 2018 21:42, UK
Former British super-middleweight champion Paul Smith Jr has announced his retirement on the one-year anniversary of his world title defeat to Tyron Zeuge.
Smith, who ends his career with a professional record of 38 wins (with 22 knockouts) and seven losses, twice fought Arthur Abraham for the WBO super-middleweight title but was defeated on points on both occasions.
The 35-year-old challenged Zeuge for the WBA (regular) title in June 2017 but lost via unanimous decision in what proved to be his final professional bout.
Smith, the older brother of Stephen, Liam and Callum, confirmed his retirement on Sunday through a statement on Instagram, which read: "Today marks a year since my last fight, so now is as good a time as any to announce my retirement from fighting.
"In that fight I was seeing things in my head that my body just couldn't do and I felt my age in there. That fight wouldn't have been a problem for me a year earlier.
"I ruptured a ligament in the right hand to add to it, needing an operation, the fifth of my career. The hand took a long time to get back to strength but my mind was made up after the fight.
"I talked with my wife and my brothers and the decision, although tough to say out loud, wasn't tough to make. I'm healthy and I'm happy.
"Boxing saves kids all over the world, I'd never have been a lost cause by any means by boxing has given me a life I could never have dreamed of. I've seen the world and met people who I now have lifelong relationships with.
"I've been followed and supported but most importantly respected by the boxing fans and I'm forever grateful for that and to this sport.
"I'm not gone completely from the sport, you'll see me regularly on Sky with the team and I'm sure there's a few more licenses I can apply for in the sport."
