By Elliot Foster

John Wayne Hibbert has called time on his career as a professional boxer.

The Hordon-on-the-Hill man, 31, announced his retirement on social media on Sunday morning.

Hibbert, who leaves the ring with a respectable record of 17-5 with 11 early endings, said that “it’s time to call it a day” on the back of a chilling four-round knockout defeat to Martin Gethin on Saturday, November 26, at Wembley’s SSE Arena, exclusively live on Sky Sports.

Gethin, in defeating Hibbert, somewhat revived his career as he improved to 28-8-1 with 12 KOs, but it was sad to see the former WBC Silver title challenger and ex-Commonwealth and WBC International champion in such a bad way on the back of a crushing combination by ‘The Quiet Man’ of Walsall.

“[I] just [want to] say I’m truly gutted, but [it’s] time [to] call it a day,” Hibbert wrote on Twitter. “[I want to] thank all my team and sponsors, but it’s time.”

His promoter Eddie Hearn led the well-wishes to Hibbert, while Liverpool’s Robbie Davies Jr., who Hibbert could have been set for a clash with in 2017 had he have won on Saturday, wished his fellow fighter the best in “whatever you do after boxing.”

Further details with regards to the next move of Hibbert will be revealed in due course.