Boxers that Retired on their Own Terms

[Heretic]

If Mayweather stays retired this time around then he is good example of how to do it "right".

Fought nobodies for last two fights. The other one novice with zero boxing matches. And ride in to the sunset with 50 - 0 record.

Hes just better watch out... Wilder is out there to catch hes record. All he needs is couple of more taxi drivers and retirement to beat Maywether and be the ATG of all of boxing

[keithmoonhangover]

Jemal Hinton.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jemal Hinton.

Why?

He was 22..

22-0 (17 KOs)

No world title challenge..

[keithmoonhangover]

Jemal Hinton.

Why?

He was 22..

22-0 (17 KOs)

No world title challenge..

At the time he said it was because of his religious beliefs. Not sure is he says that now.

[elmersalsa]

The great George Foreman was the only fighter to retire in his own terms twice.

First, after the ass WHUPPIN that Jimmy Young gave him in San Juan, Puerto Rico and he said that he saw Christ in the sky or something like that.

The second, after he lost to Shannon Briggs. It was the right time to call it quits.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Leonard retired twice on his own terms too.. the third time after Camacho you could say too.

[Nile4000]

Michael Spinks.

I don't care about the 91 seconds. Butch Lewis held out for years to get Spinks his $13 million Tyson payday.

I'm sure he wishes his last fight went differently but I think he saw he was at the end of his career and successfully walked away with "never work again" money.

I completely agree. Spinks campaign at heavyweight was supposed to be in and out. I do not believe they ever really believed he'd win. The 1.1 million purse was eleven times what he'd made in his most recent light heavyweight title defense. It was about business and "get out". Winning the prize meant far more money in a rematch they felt they may be able to win. From there it was all about gravy until the inevitable defeat. Spinks was never in love with his trade.

And, unfortunately, he is paying for it now, trusting his friend to handle his money.

[elmersalsa]

The great Benny Lynch. After cleaning up the Flyweight division, he called it quits.

[scartissue]

The great Benny Lynch. After cleaning up the Flyweight division, he called it quits.

Elmer, I can't tell if you're being cynical. I've always been intrigued by Benny and a favorite of mine, but he lost his flyweight title on the scales weighing over the bantamweight limit to Jackie Jurich. He couldn't get the weight under control due to alcoholism. Lost his last couple of fights and was washed up and retired at the age of 25 and dead in a Glasgow gutter at the age of 33. How is that retiring on your own terms?

[Ruthless-RKO]

The great Benny Lynch. After cleaning up the Flyweight division, he called it quits.

Elmer, I can't tell if you're being cynical. I've always been intrigued by Benny and a favorite of mine, but he lost his flyweight title on the scales weighing over the bantamweight limit to Jackie Jurich. He couldn't get the weight under control due to alcoholism. Lost his last couple of fights and was washed up and retired at the age of 25 and dead in a Glasgow gutter at the age of 33. How is that retiring on your own terms?

Technically, not his own terms that is it? Kinda forced himself to retire if anything.

[Syntax Error]

I thought Marvin Hagler showed what he was made of when he walked away after losing to Ray Leonard. He thought he got screwed and probably knew his best days were behind him after 67 fights. I admired him for staying away even though he could have made big money in rematches with Leonard and Hearns.

He was done and he walked away.

This is true up to a point, but I do think Hagler would have fought again had Leonard not messed him about.

I get the impression that Leonard kind of offered him a rematch, but messed Marvin about & wouldn't quite play ball, so Hagler got peed off & quit for good.

I remember reading that as late as 1996, Leonard contacted Hagler & tried to arrange a rematch, but Marvin obviously & quite rightly told him where to go.

As far as I'm aware, Hagler has real hatred towards Leonard, even to this day for the way that Sugar Ray messed him about after their fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

I thought Marvin Hagler showed what he was made of when he walked away after losing to Ray Leonard. He thought he got screwed and probably knew his best days were behind him after 67 fights. I admired him for staying away even though he could have made big money in rematches with Leonard and Hearns.

He was done and he walked away.

This is true up to a point, but I do think Hagler would have fought again had Leonard not messed him about.

I get the impression that Leonard kind of offered him a rematch, but messed Marvin about & wouldn't quite play ball, so Hagler got peed off & quit for good.

I remember reading that as late as 1996, Leonard contacted Hagler & tried to arrange a rematch, but Marvin obviously & quite rightly told him where to go.

As far as I'm aware, Hagler has real hatred towards Leonard, even to this day for the way that Sugar Ray messed him about after their fight.

Hagler is one boxer who stepped away and never looked back. Did he move to Italy or something?

He just quit boxing completely.

[Syntax Error]

I thought Marvin Hagler showed what he was made of when he walked away after losing to Ray Leonard. He thought he got screwed and probably knew his best days were behind him after 67 fights. I admired him for staying away even though he could have made big money in rematches with Leonard and Hearns.

He was done and he walked away.

This is true up to a point, but I do think Hagler would have fought again had Leonard not messed him about.

I get the impression that Leonard kind of offered him a rematch, but messed Marvin about & wouldn't quite play ball, so Hagler got peed off & quit for good.

I remember reading that as late as 1996, Leonard contacted Hagler & tried to arrange a rematch, but Marvin obviously & quite rightly told him where to go.

As far as I'm aware, Hagler has real hatred towards Leonard, even to this day for the way that Sugar Ray messed him about after their fight.

Hagler is one boxer who stepped away and never looked back. Did he move to Italy or something?

He just quit boxing completely.

He did.

He moved away, got married again to an Italian lady & made a few low budget action films.

[Duran1970]

Dave Tibeiri.....

[forestbox]

Carl froch

[Ruthless-RKO]

Carl froch

You could tell, he just wanted that one last fight against Ward..

[Kalan]

The Klistschko Brothers.... Wladimir retired at the age of 41 after fighting an ATG fight with Anthony Joshua... Even though that fight was a loss it was a career effort -- couldn't have been a better ending.

Vitali ended his career at the age of 41, after winning his last 13 fights in a row, including 12 Heavyweight Championship Fights in a row -- following a robbery loss to Lennox Lewis where he was winning on all scorecards in a fight that should have gone to the scorecards for a technical decision.

The Klitschiko Bros finished with their mental and physical health in tact -- ready to take on any career they desire.

[keithmoonhangover]

following a robbery loss to Lennox Lewis

God, you're such a child.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

The Klistschko Brothers.... Wladimir retired at the age of 41 after fighting an ATG fight with Anthony Joshua... Even though that fight was a loss it was a career effort -- couldn't have been a better ending.

Vitali ended his career at the age of 41, after winning his last 13 fights in a row, including 12 Heavyweight Championship Fights in a row -- following a robbery loss to Lennox Lewis where he was winning on all scorecards in a fight that should have gone to the scorecards for a technical decision.

The Klitschiko Bros finished with their mental and physical health in tact -- ready to take on any career they desire.

- Kalan, shame on you son, you forgot Wilt



Trained by the best trainer in boxing history, Cus D'Amato, made a prime Ali duck him publicly in the ABC studios with Cosell, Bundini Brown, and Angelo Dundee bearing witness. That helped Wilt secure the biggest contract in NBA history that he had been holding out for. Later he proved there wasn't enough $$$ in boxing to secure a fight with Ali, but he always leveraged that for ever better contracts.

Retired undefeated and a multimillionaire invested in stocks and bonds as the best basketball player in history, and then set up shop in legendary informal pickup sessions with all the new guns until he was 50, always being the apex predator in those games, good enough that he actually contemplated a comeback. Thankfully he then remembered what a grueling NBA schedule was like and let it be.

Jack Dempsey retired on two defeats, the last acknowledged that he won by KO and was robbed. That fight cemented him as the most popular fighter in history with the boxing suits, press and public. Stayed relevant in boxing well into his 80s with his boxing themed restaurant next to the old Madison Square Garden. As a 74 year old stepping out of his cab in front of his restaurant, two young thugs with not enough “cents” to know what they were doing attempted a mugging on our fine elderly gentleman in his finely tailor suit. Jack flattened them and told the cabbie to go in his restaurant to call the police while he kept em down. Even the clowning charismatic Ali had to check out that mighty left hand that left so many splotto on the canvas.



******Oh, btw, Centennial Celebration of his demolition of Jess Willard that helped launch the Roaring 20s. Babe Ruth still pitching for the RedSox was already busting every scattered Homerun record the press could dig up. When he moved to New York, they became great friends and even did some sparring...only in boxing!

[bwu]

How about Terry Downes? His last fight was a loss, but his performance against Willie Pastrano was so strong that I'm sure he could've had other fights. However, he said that he thought it was all going to go downhill after that, so he stopped. He went on to become an actor, continued what was already a successful business career and did charitable work. A good life by any standard.

[AndrewP73]

I always thought Michael Carbajal had a cool exit in 1999, when he stopped Jorge Arce in the 11th I believe. He beat and up and coming top guy then just left.

MIchael Spinks also came to mind. I don't think he had any legit thoughts of winning against Tyson, he just wanted to cash out.

[detamour]

Jemal Hinton.

Why?

He was 22..

22-0 (17 KOs)

No world title challenge..

Jemal, Joined the Nation of Islam as I Recall!

[detamour]

Michael Spinks.

I don't care about the 91 seconds. Butch Lewis held out for years to get Spinks his $13 million Tyson payday.

I'm sure he wishes his last fight went differently but I think he saw he was at the end of his career and successfully walked away with "never work again" money.

I completely agree. Spinks campaign at heavyweight was supposed to be in and out. I do not believe they ever really believed he'd win. The 1.1 million purse was eleven times what he'd made in his most recent light heavyweight title defense. It was about business and "get out". Winning the prize meant far more money in a rematch they felt they may be able to win. From there it was all about gravy until the inevitable defeat. Spinks was never in love with his trade.

And, unfortunately, he is paying for it now, trusting his friend to handle his money.

Butch Spinks, had a Joint Bank Account with him and bled his Money Dry.

[Nile4000]

I completely agree. Spinks campaign at heavyweight was supposed to be in and out. I do not believe they ever really believed he'd win. The 1.1 million purse was eleven times what he'd made in his most recent light heavyweight title defense. It was about business and "get out". Winning the prize meant far more money in a rematch they felt they may be able to win. From there it was all about gravy until the inevitable defeat. Spinks was never in love with his trade.

And, unfortunately, he is paying for it now, trusting his friend to handle his money.

Butch Spinks, had a Joint Bank Account with him and bled his Money Dry.

That in itself, is a tragedy. I often wonder if there was something to the Lewis-Spinks relationship that wasn't known.

[bollocks]

Did Butch rip off Michael Spinks? If so, what a prize arsehole. It's a bit surprising though, as I've read that when Leon won the HW title some years earlier and the long lost relatives and other sundry parasites came out of the woodwork it was Michael that tried to keep him in line with the spending. I would have thought if anyone would have NOT been ripped off it would have been Michael Spinks (he was a bit of a tightarse with money apparently. He once said he was going to beat Dwight Qawi because "I once lent you $300 and you never paid it back" )