Irish fighter Ken Egan has decided to retire from boxing at the age of 31 after a glittering amateur career.
Egan, who won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, conceded his career was over after his bid for an 11th national title was thwarted by Joe Ward at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.
His silver medal made him a star but the perils of fame led him to fight off a series of addiction problems, and he was denied a chance of going to London 2012 by Ward, 13 years his junior.
Announcing his decision in the ring, Egan said: "This day was always going to come but I thought it was a fitting occasion to announce it. I don't think I can go any further with the talent we have got in the wings.
"I am glad to hand the baton over to a fighter like Joe Ward. He is an exceptional talent and improving all the time. I thought I'd test him this year but he's getting better and it's brilliant to see."
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