SYDNEY (AFP) — Australia's light heavyweight world champion Danny Green Tuesday announced he was quitting boxing, saying he was leaving the sport on his own terms.
Green, 35, had been preparing for next month's mandatory defence of his WBA title against Argentine Hugo Garay but said he decided to end his career in the fight game for the sake of his health and family.
"I am getting out on my terms, with my dignity and respect intact," said Green, who has a record of 25 wins, 22 by knockout, and three defeats.
"I have made the decision of an intelligent man -- looking to 25 years in the future."
Green rose to prominence during the 2000 Sydney Olympics and turned professional the following year.
He won the WBC interim super middleweight belt in December 2003 with a sixth-round win over Canadian Eric Lucas, before losing the title to German Markus Beyer in March 2005 on points.
After moving up to the light heavyweight division, Green won the world title last December with his defeat of Croatian Stipe Drews in a unanimous points decision.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
