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Liverpool boxer Natasha Jonas retires from the sport

Natasha Jonas, the first female boxer to represent Great Britain in an Olympic Games, has announced her retirement from the sport.

Boxer Natasha Jonas Credit: PA

The Liverpool 30-year-old made history when she took on eventual gold medallist Katie Taylor in the first round of the women's lightweight competition at London 2012.

Jonas, a former world and European bronze medallist, said:

"It just felt like the right time to retire.

"Being away from camp to recover from my recent injury has given me time to think and I just came to the conclusion that I did not want to go back to the demands of full-time training.

"When I started boxing 10 years ago I was an overweight, unemployed scally from Toxteth and if you'd have told me then that I would win a world championship medal and compete in front of 10,000 people at the Olympic Games I would never have believed it, so I am very proud to have achieved those things and done so well in the sport.