Former cruiserweight world champion Mairis Briedis has retired, aged 39, with a record of 28-3 (20 KOs).
He last fought in May, when on the undercard of Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk he lost his rematch for the IBF title with Jai Opetaia of Australia.
The Latvian also won the WBC and WBO titles during a fine career, and is regarded by some to have given the great Oleksandr Usyk his toughest fight before losing via majority decision in 2018 in the cruiserweight edition of the World Boxing Super Series.
“Dear friends, fans, and loved ones,” he wrote on social media, “25 years ago, I went into the unknown, putting on boxing gloves for the first time, not yet aware that it would lead me to a career as a professional athlete. Boxing, over time, became my passion, career, and a big part of my life.
“Today, I want to share a decision that was not easy for me to make. Firstly, because the road that I have travelled over the years has been filled with so many unforgettable moments and joys of victory, it has made me the person I am today and has allowed me to pursue new goals and achievements all this time, which has served as a drive for me to always strive for more.
“I would like to say thank you for these 25 years and officially announce the end of my professional boxing career.
“Every fight, especially those that took place in Latvia, was special to me. I’ve always felt incredible support from my peers and that’s what inspired me to reach higher and even higher goals and achievements. This support and energy I felt from you guys made my boxing career unforgettable. Whatever – boxing, it wasn’t just a career – it was a life filled with passion, emotions, and dreams. But it’s time to say goodbye to the ring and open a new chapter in my life.”
Briedis made his professional debut in 2009, fighting mostly at cruiserweight but occasionally fought above the 200lbs limit – including when stopping the heavyweight Mahmoud Charr in 2015. It was in 2017, he won his first world title by outpointing Marco Huck for the vacant WBC belt.
After losing to Usyk he became a titleholder again in 2019, albeit in controversial fashion, when defeating Kryzysztof Glowacki in a foul-filled three-round bout. Briedis was then stripped of that WBO title for not moving forward with a rematch with Glowacki, but he outpointed Yuniel Dorticos in 2020 for the IBF belt, defended it in 2021 with a win over Artur Mann, and then lost to Opetaia in 2022.
Then followed a lengthy layoff. Briedis was supposed to return in 2023 but suffered an injury while training. He returned in May after more than 22 months away and dropped another decision to Opetaia.
Read the full article here
