Former world boxing champion Nigel Ben's attempt to return to action has ended after 23 years of absence from his last professional fight because of a shoulder injury.
The 55-year-old Briton said in September he would fight a 40-year-old Australian, also world champion, in Birmingham on November 23.
It would have been Ben's first professional fight since 1996, but the injury forced him to accept the end of his career.
"It's unfortunate to say that I made the difficult decision today to announce my retirement from boxing," Ben wrote on his Instagram account.
View this post on Instagram With a heavy heart I am sad to say I had to make the hard decision today to hang up my boxing gloves. I'd like to thank you all for supporting me throughout my career but the time is up for me. I thank you all for giving me an unbelievable career. God bless you all. #teambenn A post shared by Nigel Benn (@nigelbennofficial) onOct 28, 2019 at 3:45 pm PDT |
"I would like to thank all of you for supporting me throughout my career, but it's time for me, thank you for helping me to make an incredible journey."
He won the World Boxing Organization (WBO) title in the Mediterranean in 1990, and the World Boxing Council in 1992-1996.
He fought in November 1996, losing to Irishman Steve Collins.