Following his loss to Manny Pacquiao last month in Malaysia, Lucas Matthysse (39-5, 36 KOs) has taken the decision to retire from the sport of boxing.

The former WBA Welterweight champion had talked about retirement in the run up to his encounter with Pacquiao and followed through with that decision on Wednesday, putting out a statement that read the following:

“Thanks to boxing for changing my life,” Matthysse said,

“I remember the Argentine national boxing team, where it was very hard but good. I remember in my life all of the kids that I met and the tremendous boxers who represented Argentina with good and bad results but it was a great experience in my life that I will always remember.

“I came to Trelew at 21 years old. Me and my family, we decided to go back to Junin where I spent 11 years of my career with the great trainer Cuty Barrera and today, at 35 years old, I am once again back in Trelew.

“I am proud that I maintained my career for 10 years at the world level, where I fought with the best in boxing and I fulfilled my dream of being a world champion.

“Thanks to all those who followed me in my career, for all of their love, because that is the most beautiful thing in this sport of boxing, which is a nice environment. Today, I decide to hang up the gloves because another stage in my life is coming. And many thanks to all of the people that I met thanks in boxing.”