Ward announced Thursday he is retiring from boxing because he no longer has the desire to fight, leaving the sport at age 33 with an undefeated record and the light heavyweight championship.
Ward released a statement on his website titled ”Mission Accomplished ” thanking those who helped him throughout his career and explaining his reasons for his retirement.
“I want to be clear — I am leaving because my body can no longer put up with the rigors of the sport and therefore my desire to fight is no longer there,” he wrote. “If I cannot give my family, my team, and the fans everything that I have, then I should no longer be fighting.