Ex-Heavyweight Boxing Champion David Haye Will Retire From Sport, BBC Says

Former heavyweight champion David Haye, who lost his World Boxing Association championship belt in a defeat to Wladimir Klitschko in July, is to retire from the sport, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Haye e-mailed the British Boxing Board of Control to say that he did not want to renew his license, the board’s secretary Robert Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Haye, who previously said he would not box beyond age 30, is 31 in two days. Smith told the BBC that Haye “has been very good to the sport and we wish him well.”

The Briton was beaten in a unanimous decision by Ukraine’s Klitschko in Hamburg in a title unification fight. There was speculation Haye might have delayed retirement to fight Klitschko’s brother Vitali, holder of the World Boxing Council title, the BBC said.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Cone in London at jcone@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net.