Francesco Patera, a 32-year-old Belgian with a professional record of 30-6 (11 KOs), has announced his retirement.
“After years of blood, sweat and sacrifice in the ring, the time has come to hang up the gloves,” Patera posted on Instagram. “This sport gave me everything – discipline, purpose and unforgettable moments.”
Patera won the EBU lightweight title in 2017 with a points win over Edis Tatli in Finland in what was then regarded as a big upset. He lost the rematch later that year but won the vacant EBU title in Newcastle in 2018 by beating Lewis Ritson in another upset. Patera defended it three times before giving up the title to concentrate on a world title fight that never materialized.
After a 25-3 start to his career, Patera lost three of his final five fights, including a unanimous decision to Keyshawn Davis in 2023 in which Patera got off the canvas to last the distance. He was never stopped in his professional career.
“We are done fighting but the legacy remains,” Patera wrote. “It’s been an amazing journey.”
