Two-time Olympic champion Nicola Adams has retired from boxing over fears she could lose her sight.
The Briton, 37, became the first female Olympic champion when she won gold at London 2012, retaining her flyweight title at Rio 2016.
She turned professional in 2017 and is the WBO world flyweight champion.
“I’ve been advised that any further impact to my eye would most likely lead to irreparable damage and permanent vision loss,” said Adams.
In an announcement to the Yorkshire Evening Post, she added: “I’m immensely honoured to have represented our country – to win double Olympic gold medals and then the WBO championship belt is a dream come true… But it’s not without taking its toll on my body.”
The Leeds boxer’s last fight was on 28 September when she retained her WBO title following a split-decision draw with Mexico’s Maria Salinas.
She finishes with a professional record of five wins and a draw.
In July, Adams became a world champion for the first time in her professional career when Arely Mucino was unable to defend her title and the Briton, having been the mandatory challenger, was awarded the belt.
Adams won Commonwealth, European and world titles as an amateur and her 2016 gold medal saw her become the first British boxer for 92 years to retain an Olympic title.
She had hinted that she could defend her Olympic title at next year’s Tokyo Games – in July she retweeted a video of the 2020 medal design with the caption: “I wonder how this medal would look on my mantelpiece.”
In an open letter to the newspaper, Adams added: “Having people in my life who are a fountain of support, kindness and love, has been the sole reason I’ve been able to represent my country in the way I have.
“It has been an honour to compete on the global stage, and it has been a privilege to fight against such remarkable athletes. Whilst I am proud of my achievements, the unwavering belief from everyone in my corner is something I will appreciate for the rest of my life.
“Hanging up my gloves was always going to be hard, but I have never felt luckier. And I’m so immensely proud of how far the sport has come.”
Adams’ promoter Frank Warren said the boxer’s accomplishments would “go down in history”, calling her an “icon” of British sport.
“Nicola has that star quality in abundance that very few possess,” said Warren.
“Her accomplishments will go down in history and she will always be an icon of British sport.
“She will be much missed in the sport of boxing, but will remain an inspiration to others for many generations to come.”
Source: BBC
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