Tony Bellew’s victory over David Haye on Saturday could turn out to be his last trip to the ring.
Bellew shocked the world by stopping Haye in the 11th round of the Liverpudlian’s heavyweight debut, due in no small part to an Achilles injury picked up by ‘The Hayemaker’ midway through the grudge match.
Haye battled through the pain for a further five rounds but his corner saw enough in the 11th round and threw in the towel.
The former heavyweight and cruiserweight champion of the world was transported directly to hospital in London and he underwent surgery on his Achilles tendon on Sunday.
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The required recovery time likely means that Haye will be forced to hang up his gloves but the 36-year-old is not the only one who is considering retirement as the man who condemned him to his third career defeat may also leave boxing behind him.
WBC cruiserweight champion Bellew has admitted that retirement is a genuine option for him after his most high-profile victory to date.
In recent months, ‘Bomber’ has hinted that his time as a professional boxer was coming to a close and insisted in a pre-fight interview that he could only see himself competing for a further 12 months.
But as the dust settles on his London showdown, Bellew has admitted that the Haye bout could well have been his swansong.
“I don’t know how many times more I can put my body and family through this,” Bellew told BBC Radio 5 live on Monday before revealing that “it [retirement] is an option. It’s something I’m thinking about.”
There is no shortage of options on the table for the 34-year-old as a heavyweight title fight opposite either WBC champion Deontay Wilder or WBO champ Joe Parker could be on the cards for Bellew, if he decides to lace up his gloves again.
“I have a lot of options. If people want to come and talk to me… I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it will have to be something special,” Bellew told BBC One’s Breakfast programme.
“I am the best heavyweight in the world outside the champions, and none of them have a name like David Haye on their record, so what does that mean?
“David Haye was like the bogeyman of the division. Nobody wanted to fight him but the fat cruiserweight did. And you know what? He beat him too. Just let that sink in.”
