Ryan Rhodes Retires

Sheffield boxer Ryan Rhodes believes he has made the right decision by choosing to retire.

The former European light-middleweight champion announced his retirement on Tuesday to end with a professional record of 46 wins and six defeats.

Rhodes, 35, told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I'll be 36 in a couple of months and it's going to take me 18 months to get up to a European title level.



"I think it's just the right time to bow out now."

He added: "I've got all my faculties intact and I think I've enjoyed a terrific career.

"I considered going on but I have to think about a lot of things. My daughters are 13 and 10 now and it's heartbreaking for me to see them upset after a fight hasn't gone my way.

"I compared the positives to the negatives and the negatives outweighed the positives."

His last fight ended in disappointment after he was knocked out in the seventh round by Belarusian fighter Sergey Rabchenko in June.

The two-time British title holder is hopeful of remaining in the sport in some capacity.

"I'm going to stay in the gym. I love training and working with the younger lads and if I can pass on any of my knowledge then that would be brilliant," he continued.

"I've got a few options at the moment but it's early days and I'm going to take some time to think things over.

"There are a lot of politics in boxing but I'd love to be in the corner with fighters, passing on what I've learned over my career."

Source - BBC SPORT

Probably wildly biased as he is a Sheffield lad but always had a lot of time for Ryan, decent fighter and a good pro. Amazing when you think of the hype and potential when he burst on the scene to think he never picked up a world title, but even without these honours has a lot he can look back on with pride and his fight with Jamie Moore will live long in the memory of those who saw it.

Think the timing of this decision is right and hope he enjoys his retirement.

A good decision from Rhodes, I think.

He's been a cracking servant to the sport, and in all honestly has been largely underappreciated in British boxing circles over the past few years. Had his limitations exposed now and then but, all in all, it's been a fine career which should also be classed as a successful one.

Hope he gets his wish and remains involved in the sport.

Sky hype job etc etc, would not have stood a chance against (insert name of British random light middle from circa 1992) Reminds me of Lewis McCall etc etc .

Saves a lot of time all round.

Happy Retirement is all I have to say. Gone as far as he can. Challenged for a World Title and just came up short. Can't argue with that. Hope he gets into training or does some work for Sky. Nice guy Ryan, good luck to him.

Agree with Rowley. His fight with Moore is a modern day British classic. A real back and forth battle with Rhodes putting him away with some terrific punching.

He gets to spend more time with TSMR now, Jeff.

Fists of Fury wrote:He gets to spend more time with TSMR now, Jeff.

You're beginning to sound like Truss now mate, never a good sign.

He should have been a trinket holder in this day of multiple world titles. I think the loss to Matthews hurt him badly and didn't he spend a while out after that? Has always been chasing shadows ever since.

Don't like his close association with Hamed though. He can't be that great a guy if that git is a friend.

Good guy. Happy retirement. A very good euro level boxer.

Sounded a bit of a wally criticising the referee in his last fight when he spent the next two mins after the stoppage wriggling on the floor!!!

Anyways.....For me with Herol Graham probably the biggest underachiever I've seen since I've come to this inferior Country...When I first saw him he had speed....reflexes....great moves and a decent dig!!!!

Thought he was destined to succeed...

His career has then stalled and stalled probably a lot of it due to self and to interesting matchmaking........

Ingle fighters always tend to underachieve apart from Hamed.........Maybe Yorkshire types are lacking in the nous department....

The place seems to breed talent just to be wasted!!

Right decision...............Rhodes missed the boat..

Always remember the jamie moore fight. Great guy outside the ring alomg with being a model professional in it.

All the best to the guy.

A fringe world level fighter who along with Macklin, Moore and Barker should have held some sort of world title at one stage. Was royally messed around by the WBC when he should have fought for the vacant title instead of Pacquiao, a fight against Margarito at that stage was more than winnable for him and he earned it.

He should have stayed at 154 for his entire career, he was a tiny middleweight and struggled and lost a couple that a fighter as skilled as him shouldn't have lost against

He could use his skills more and didn't get bullied at 154. Fringe world class at his best but didnt quite reach his potential that he showed early on in his career

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Sounded a bit of a wally criticising the referee in his last fight when he spent the next two mins after the stoppage wriggling on the floor!!!

Anyways.....For me with Herol Graham probably the biggest underachiever I've seen since I've come to this inferior Country...When I first saw him he had speed....reflexes....great moves and a decent dig!!!!

Thought he was destined to succeed...

His career has then stalled and stalled probably a lot of it due to self and to interesting matchmaking........

Ingle fighters always tend to underachieve apart from Hamed.........Maybe Yorkshire types are lacking in the nous department....

The place seems to breed talent just to be wasted!!

Right decision...............Rhodes missed the boat..

In what way is our country inferior Truss?

Started off with a pop against Laing, and now Graham and Rhodes- you seem a bit up tight today Truss- are you getting enough, or is is the Mrs not putting out?

horizontalhero wrote:Started off with a pop against Laing, and now Graham and Rhodes- you seem a bit up tight today Truss- are you getting enough, or is is the Mrs not putting out?

His rants over the last couple of days hint at the verge of a nervous breakdown...

His rants over the last couple of days hint at the verge of a nervous breakdown...

Just the last couple of days?

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Sounded a bit of a wally criticising the referee in his last fight when he spent the next two mins after the stoppage wriggling on the floor!!!

Anyways.....For me with Herol Graham probably the biggest underachiever I've seen since I've come to this inferior Country...When I first saw him he had speed....reflexes....great moves and a decent dig!!!!

Thought he was destined to succeed...

His career has then stalled and stalled probably a lot of it due to self and to interesting matchmaking........

Ingle fighters always tend to underachieve apart from Hamed.........Maybe Yorkshire types are lacking in the nous department....

The place seems to breed talent just to be wasted!!

Right decision...............Rhodes missed the boat..

It was that awful 2nd round KO to Matthews that wrecked his chances. Can't remember the guys full name but he lost to a journeyman who went on to briefly claim the WBO trinket.

Seanusarrilius wrote:

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Sounded a bit of a wally criticising the referee in his last fight when he spent the next two mins after the stoppage wriggling on the floor!!!

Anyways.....For me with Herol Graham probably the biggest underachiever I've seen since I've come to this inferior Country...When I first saw him he had speed....reflexes....great moves and a decent dig!!!!

Thought he was destined to succeed...

His career has then stalled and stalled probably a lot of it due to self and to interesting matchmaking........

Ingle fighters always tend to underachieve apart from Hamed.........Maybe Yorkshire types are lacking in the nous department....

The place seems to breed talent just to be wasted!!

Right decision...............Rhodes missed the boat..

In what way is our country inferior Truss?

Inferior "sports nutritionists" in this country. Afterall, we could have marvels like Holyfield , RJJ, Toney et al if we had better ahem!.......cough!........sports nutrition.

Right decision from Ryan Rhodes,decent bloke, good fighter just came up a little short at world level,but still has a lot of good moments to look back on.

a shame but the right decision, he could have easily have held a world title (as said many times), i always wanted to see enzo vs rhodes and been a sheffield lad obviously a fight i think he'd have won. maybe a little inactive between fights to cash in on his name.

still a career to be immensely proud of and a tough tough fighter. he ended in a good fight, as i think renchenko will be a star in years to come.

love the guy and good luck, hopefully he might team up with the ingles and pass on some knowledge as a trainer.

also his girlfriend used to own a hairdressers (which he bought her) that backed onto my house- my boxing claim to fame

seems like a life time ago he was a hot prospect. had some entertaining fights and i always cheered him on, but he was certainly overrated by some, which made him a constant disappointment at world level. was a top domestic fighter though

He was a classy guy. A terrific euro level fighter.

love his classic ingle style, dying out a little these days but was very popular around naz's time.

Often wonder why fighters don't leave on a positive note!!!

Find a beatable opponent and say good bye to the locals in style...