Wladimir Klitschko has retired from boxing, killing any hope of a rematch with heavyweight king Anthony Joshua.
The Ukrainian was beaten by Joshua in a heavyweight blockbuster back in April and the Brit was eyeing another colossal bout in Las Vegas on November 11.
But the 41-year-old Klitschko has released a video to confirm his decision to call time on his 21-year career in the ring.
Sportsmail columnist Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, confirmed the Brit must now fight his mandatory IBF challenger Kubrat Pulev in his next fight following the announcement.
‘I had a call last night saying he was retiring,’ Hearn told talkSPORT.
‘Contractually Klitschko had to take the rematch unless he retired or decided against it. We have been working on it with people in Las Vegas two or three months. We were gearing up for an announcement shortly.
‘We’ll focus our attention on [mandatory IBF challenger] Kubrat Pulev. When we got the agreement with Klitsckho it was under the provision we’d fight Pulev if it didn’t happen.’
But following his defeat by Joshua in April, the Ukrainian has decided to hang up his gloves
Olympic gold medals won: 1, at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. He later sold his medal for $1m, donating the proceeds to his charity, the Klitschko Foundation.
The heavyweight legend hangs up his gloves with the stellar record of 64-5-0. ‘Dr Steelhammer’ ruled the division throughout the 2000s, holding the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles.
Klitschko burst onto the scene when he claimed gold in the 1996 Olympics in the super-heavyweight class.
He claimed his first professional belt just two years later, knocking out Marcus McIntyre, and set about making his mark in the new millennium.
Klitschko retained his IBF belt for a remarkable nine years and seven months between 2006 and 2015, the second-longest of all time behind Joe Louis.
But the former heavyweight champ stated he is ready to move on from boxing and is looking to the next stage of his career.
‘I was, and am still capable of doing all this because of the global appeal of sport and boxing, my own talent and most importantly because of you, my loyal fans,’ Klitschko said.
‘At some point in our lives we need to, or just want to, switch our couriers and get ourselves ready for the next chapter and chart. Any course towards fresh challenges.
‘Finally instead of just saying thanks and goodbye I want you to continue to follow me on my new and exciting journey.’
Klitschko dominated the division in the 2000s and held his IBF belt for over nine years
‘Twenty-seven years ago I started in my sport and it was the best choice of a profession I could have made.
‘Because of this choice I’ve travelled the world, learned new languages, created businesses, built intellectual properties, helped people in need, became a scientist, an entrepreneur, a motivator, a leader, trainer, investor and much else.
‘I was, and am still capable of doing all this because of the global appeal of sport and boxing, my own talent and most importantly because of you, my loyal fans.
‘At some point in our lives we need to, or just want to, switch our couriers and get ourselves ready for the next chapter and chart. Any course towards fresh challenges.
‘Obviously I am not an exception to this and now it’s my turn.
‘I’m honestly doing this with the greatest respect for the new challenges. But also with tremendous excitement, passion, dedication, expecting and hoping that my next career which I’ve already been planning and working on for some years, will be at least as successful as my previous one. If not even more successful.
‘Finally instead of just saying thanks and goodbye I want you to continue to follow me on my new and exciting journey.
‘When we’re together we’re more creative, more efficient, more productive and simply stronger in every way.
‘Together we’re the driving force.’