American boxer Kelly Pavlik has confirmed that he has retired from the sport with immediate effect.
The 30-year-old had been due to take on Andre Ward in March, but that fight will no longer take place after Pavlik admitted that he had concerns over his long-term health.
"When you stay in the sport too long you have health problems. That's a big, big thing for me," Pavlik told ESPN. "I'm not talking about now. I'm talking about in the future.
"I'm talking about when I'm 55 or 60. What's gonna happen to me then? Why take any more chances, especially in that sport. It's a brutal sport and you never know what can happen."
Pavlik has hung up his gloves with a record of 40 wins from his 42 bouts.
