Japan’s former world and Olympic boxing champion Ryota Murata holds a press convention to announce his retirement in Tokyo on March 28, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Japan’s former world and Olympic boxing champion Ryota Murata introduced his retirement Tuesday, saying he had run out of challenges following his loss final yr to Kazakh star Gennady Golovkin.
Murata turned Japan’s first-ever Olympic middleweight gold medallist on the 2012 London Games earlier than turning skilled and capturing the WBA world title on the similar weight 5 years later.
He was again within the international highlight final April when he fought Golovkin in Saitama, north of Tokyo, placing in a robust efficiency till the person often known as “GGG” stopped him within the ninth spherical.
Murata advised reporters in Tokyo he had “always thought that the Golovkin fight would be the last one”.
“After that, I couldn’t really find anything more that I wanted out of boxing,” native media quoted the 37-year-old as saying.
Murata retires with knowledgeable report of 16-3, profitable 13 by knock-out.
He turned an enormous star in his dwelling nation after beating Brazil’s Esquiva Falcao to win gold on the London Games, turning into Japan’s first Olympic boxing champion since 1964.
His humble, easy-going character received him pals out and in of the ring, and Golovkin introduced him together with his ring robe following their match as a mark of respect.
Murata mentioned he needs to grow to be “a good role model” now that his profession is over.
“If you’re an athlete, once your dream comes true, you lose your enthusiasm,” he mentioned.
“Now I want to build a career and prove that life isn’t just about competition.”
