World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis announced his retirement from boxing.
The 38-year-old British fighter said he was bowing out seven months after his last bout, a sixth round stoppage of Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko in Los Angeles to retain the WBC title.
"It's not easy being heavyweight chamnpion of the world. In fact it is very hard to achieve," Lewis told a press conference.
"It is even harder to keep and stay at the top. I am a person that believes that if you can't give 110 percent, you shouldn't do it. I have given 110 per cent in my sport.
"One of the reasons I am retiring is out of respect for the sport. It's time for the younger generation of boxers out there to make their own move to become heavyweight champion of the world."
Lewis, who won the Olympic super-heavyweight title in Seoul in 1988 while representing Canada, finished with a professional career record of 41 wins (32 by KO), two defeats and one draw.
His greatest moment came in Memphis in June 2002 when he demolished Mike Tyson in eight rounds to retain the undisputed world heavyweight championship.
With Lewis quitting, the WBC will order Klitschko to face the 38-year-old former World Boxing Organisation champion Corrie Sanders of South Africa for the vacant title.
Sanders became WBO title holder by knocking out Klitschko's younger brother Vladimir last March.
The 38-year-old British fighter said he was bowing out seven months after his last bout, a sixth round stoppage of Ukraine's Vitali Klitschko in Los Angeles to retain the WBC title.
"It's not easy being heavyweight chamnpion of the world. In fact it is very hard to achieve," Lewis told a press conference.
"It is even harder to keep and stay at the top. I am a person that believes that if you can't give 110 percent, you shouldn't do it. I have given 110 per cent in my sport.
"One of the reasons I am retiring is out of respect for the sport. It's time for the younger generation of boxers out there to make their own move to become heavyweight champion of the world."
Lewis, who won the Olympic super-heavyweight title in Seoul in 1988 while representing Canada, finished with a professional career record of 41 wins (32 by KO), two defeats and one draw.
His greatest moment came in Memphis in June 2002 when he demolished Mike Tyson in eight rounds to retain the undisputed world heavyweight championship.
With Lewis quitting, the WBC will order Klitschko to face the 38-year-old former World Boxing Organisation champion Corrie Sanders of South Africa for the vacant title.
Sanders became WBO title holder by knocking out Klitschko's younger brother Vladimir last March.
