"Winky" Wright calls time on career after latest loss

40-year-old former champion calls it quits after comeback attempt fails to take off.

Winky Wright sits in his corner during his final match against Peter Quillin.

Former undisputed light-middleweight boxing champion Ronald "Winky" Wright is to hang up the gloves after a storied 22-year career.

The 40-year-old southpaw finished 51-6 with one draw and 25 knockouts - but after losing his final bout last Saturday decided it was time to end his fight career.

The news comes just a day after the retirement of fellow former champion "Sugar" Shane Mosley - who Wright beat to unify the titles in 2004.

"Part of being a boxer is knowing when to call it quits," Wright said. "It's time for me."

Wright was stepping back into the ring for the first time in more than three years to face Peter Quillin, but lost a unanimous 10-round decision to the undefeated 28-year-old.

His last fight before the loss was a defeat to Paul Williams in 2009, after which he underwent knee surgery. His last victory came over Ghana's Ike Quartey in 2006, ending Quartey's career.

"Winky Wright is a class act in and out of the ring and if you wanted to see what true skill was, you watched him fight," said promoter Oscar de la Hoya.

After winning his first 25 pro fights, Wright lost his first world title bout to Argentine southpaw Julio Cesar Vasquez in 1994.

In 2001, Wright won the International Boxing Federation light-middleweight crown and in 2004 he became the undisputed world champion after taking a unanimous 12-round decision over fellow American Shane Mosley.

Wright won a rematch with Mosley by majority decision later in 2004 and in 2005 kept his crown by defeating Puerto Rican legend Felix Trinidad in 2006, only the second career loss of Trinidad's fabled career.

"I did what I set out to do and that was to be great and become a world champion," Wright said after his announcement.

"I have a lot of great memories from my career and will still support this great sport."

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