'Viking Warrior' not boxed since rematch with Carl Froch
Tuesday 3 February 2015 12:30, UK
Mikkel Kessler has announced he has retired from boxing.
The five-time super-middleweight world champion confirmed the news that he was calling time on his career via a post on Twitter.
"Thank you for supporting me through out my career. It has been an absolute pleasure stepping into the ring, home as well as abroad," it read.
Kessler, who turns 36 next month, defeated Carl Froch in 2010, but has not fought since losing the rematch on points 21 months ago.
He was linked with a rematch with Andre Ward before Christmas, while there has also been talk of taking on James DeGale and even stablemate and sparring partnere George Groves.
Kessler, who became a father last year, told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet that he was only interested in fighting “the best of the best” and had decided to retire due to a lack of worthy opponents.
“I’ve spent a lot of time considering the fight offers I have received over the past six to eight months. When it came down to it, none of those options were enough to motivate me to get up to the level needed to step into the boxing ring again," he said.
However, the Viking Warrior, who insisted in a further tweet that he was serious about retirement, hinted an ‘incredible’ offer could still tempt him back into the ring.
“I’m mentally stopping my career and will try to move on, but if an incredible offer comes from one of them (Froch or Ward) then I’d be ready,” he added in Ekstra Bladet.
The Dane calls time on a career which spans 17 years and boasts 46 victories, 35 by knockout, with just three defeats, losing to Froch, Ward and Joe Calzaghe.
