Wladimir Klitschko announces his retirement, ending prospect of rematch with Anthony Joshua

Klitschko's final fight was a defeat to Britain's Joshua. Credit: PA

Former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has announced his retirement from boxing.

The Ukrainian, 41, had been considering the prospect of a lucrative rematch with Anthony Joshua but has decided it is best to end his professional career in the ring.

Joshua is likely to instead fight mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, of Bulgaria, while Klitschko ensures his legacy remains in tact as one of the finest heavyweights in history.

After an unbeaten run that lasted 11 years, Klitschko lost his final two fights, conceding his IBF, WBA and WBO titles when being outpointed by Tyson Fury, while he was stopped by Joshua in the 11th round at Wembley.

Even in the second of those defeats, the Ukrainian recovered from a fifth-round knockdown to heavily drop Joshua for the first time in his professional career.

That final fight - he has chosen not to exercise his rematch clause - was widely considered the most entertaining at heavyweight since the glamour era of the 1990s, and was also perhaps the biggest since Lennox Lewis overcame Mike Tyson in 2002.

The Ukrainian was the first to knock down Joshua in his professional career. Credit: PA