Michael Conlan said he intends to retire from boxing after his surprise split-decision defeat to Kevin Walsh in Belfast last night.
Having lost two of his previous three fights in his home city, Conlan said earlier this week that another defeat would be the final straw.
The favourite heading into the bout, Conlan looked a pale shadow of his former self and laboured throughout the 10-round contest at the SSE Arena.
The 33-year-old American, who only began boxing a decade ago, took the early initiative and a shot above the eyebrow led to a bloody cut for Conlan.
The two-time Olympian appeared content to probe without landing any significant blows, and in truth, there was little to get the crowd off their seats, the US challenger skipping around the ring unharmed.
While one judge scored the fight 97-93 in Conlan’s favour, the other two judges felt he was second-best, both scoring it 96-94 in Walsh’s favour.
Speaking to DAZN afterwards, Conlan - who amassed a professional record of 20-4 - indicated it was time to walk away from professional boxing.
"I said that the next defeat, no matter the circumstances, would be me finished with boxing and it has come," he said.
"I didn't think I lost but it wasn't good enough and that's the simple fact. For me to become a world champion I need to be beating guys like that and beating them well. That was too close for comfort.
"[I'm] 34 now. Probably too long in the tooth. I thought I won but listen, it is what it is.
"I don't want to do it no more. It's time to say goodbye to boxing."
His opponent Walsh was jubilant having taken the WBC International featherweight title.
"I was very confident I got the job done to be honest," Walsh said.
"It was definitely a close fight, I've always been a fan of (Conlan) but I knew I got the job done. It was hard for him to figure me out, honestly.
"He's a hell of a fighter but his time's up, baby."
