By Terence Dooley
Liverpool-based light-middleweight contender Joe Selkirk announced his retirement via a statement posted on Twitter earlier today.
The 14-0 (8) boxer picked up the WBO European title at 154lb by stopping Zoltan Sera in three in December 2013, but has only fought twice since that win in a career that has been persistently plagued by hand injuries.
‘After a long think, I’ve made the sad and unfortunate decision to retire from boxing,’ he stated when announcing his decision. ‘I’ve been boxing for almost 25 years and I can’t put into words all the unbelievable memories and experiences it’s given me thanks to all the people I’ve met through this wonderful sport. Boxing has given me some of the best times in my life.
‘The last 3-4 years, I’ve started to not enjoy what I do… the heartaches and stress I’ve continually had to endure with injuries and setbacks since I was about 19 have got me feeling like it’s just not meant to be and I’ve become so frustrated by it. It just doesn’t make me happy anymore.’
Selkirk turned over with a decision win over Matt Scriven in 2008 after signing with Frank Warren, but the 2007 ABA welterweight Champion was unable to get a run of fights due to hand injuries and niggles.
The 30-year-old was long tipped as the next big thing in British boxing by many in trade. Now, though, it was is a case of what might have been has he moves on to pastures new.
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