Michael Conlan said "it's time to say goodbye" to boxing after suffering a shock defeat in his Belfast hometown when losing on a split decision to Kevin Walsh.
Conlan, a two-time Olympian and London 2012 bronze medallist, still harboured ambitions of a world title fight after Walsh, but he suffered a points loss at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
One judge had Conlan winning their 10-rounder 97-93 but the other two officials both scored 96-94 for Walsh.
"I want to walk away now, my health intact and my family good," a bruised Conlan told reporters afterwards.
"I've done really well in boxing. I've achieved an awful lot. Did I reach my goal of being a world champion? No. That's the hardest part about it all.
"I always said the next defeat - no matter the situation or no matter the circumstances - that would be me finished with boxing, and it has come.
"I thought I won, but listen it is what it is. I don't want to do it no more. It's time to say goodbye to boxing."
On Saturday, Conlan took to social media to reiterate his intention to retire from the sport
"Well, 27 years in the fight game has come to an end for me. Last night's result confirmed it," he posted on Instagram.
"I know now is the right time to step away as a fighter, with all my faculties in tact, and focus on the next generation, helping guide them to reach their potential."
Unbeaten American Walsh, from Brockton, Massachusetts, rose to the occasion against Conlan to secure the best victory of his career so far.
"It was a close fight," Walsh said. "But I got it done."
Conlan turned professional in a blaze of publicity and did fight his way into world class. His extraordinary clash with Leigh Wood in 2022 ended in a knockout defeat.
In 2023 he challenged Luis Alberto Lopez for the IBF featherweight world title but also lost by stoppage. An upset loss to Jordan Gill back in 2023 as well was a heavy blow to his career.
He was rebuilding, impressing with last year's knockout victory over Jack Bateson for instance.
But this latest defeat is a major setback. Rather than pressing for a world title shot, now the 34-year-old might have to consider his future in the sport.
