Wladimir Klitschko announces retirement from boxing

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Wladimir Klitschko announces retirement from boxing
Wladimir Klitschko, one of the longest-reigning heavyweight champions in boxing history, announced his retirement on Thursday, ending a 21-year professional career in which he competed in more heavyweight title bouts than anyone.

Klitschko's final bout, on April 29 before a crowd of 90,000 at sold-out Wembley Stadium in London, was his 29th heavyweight title fight appearance -- two more than the legendary Joe Louis -- and it was a classic battle against England's Anthony Joshua, who had once sparred with Klitschko but against whom he now was defending his title.

It was a rousing, dramatic fight of the year contender in which both fighters got knocked down and showed enormous grit. But Klitschko, 41, went down three times overall and was stopped in the 11th round.

It was Klitschko's second consecutive defeat following a massive upset loss to Tyson Fury 17 months earlier that cost him the unified world championship he had held for nearly a decade.

Klitschko (64-5, 54 KOs) had the right to an immediate rematch with Joshua and most thought he would accept the fight, so much so that Klitschko's team and Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing were proceeding as though it was going to happen and making plans for a Nov. 11 rematch in Las Vegas.

However, Klitschko still had not made up his mind about whether he wanted to exercise his rematch option and the decision lingered. He had said after the April fight that he wanted time to think about his future, but also said if he did return it would be only to fight Joshua.

Now he has made up his mind, and he has decided on retirement.
"Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things."
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