ENGLISH middleweight champion Linus Udofia has hung up the gloves, ending his nine-year stint in the pro game. The 32-year-old Luton man held that English title twice and also challenged for the British strap, losing an extremely narrow split decision to Denzel Bentley in 2022.
Udofia retires with a 21-2 (10 KOs) slate and was due to defend his title against unbeaten Essex fighter PA Gordon in September. Jimmy Sains and Troy Coleman’s October 17 clash has been upgraded from a final eliminator to a clash for the full, now-vacant belt.
Udofia took to Instagram with a video announcement revealing that he had decided to exit the sport, citing a dwindling love for competition and a lack of motivation.
“These camps and fights are hard,” he explained during the video, “I can’t lie to people who support me, want me to win and can’t lie to myself.”
Udofia was on a three-fight winning streak, which included the collection of said English belt, since losing to Kieran Conway in 2023 when a swollen eye put paid to his WBA Intercontinental title challenge. The fight was in the balance at the time of the sixth-round stoppage.
Beating Tyler Denny on points in 2019 was a career highlight, given what Denny went on to achieve. The Bentley loss no doubt stung, as Bentley used it as a springboard to world honours.
A staple of the London fight scene, Udofia graced the York Hall multiple times during his career, bringing his fan-friendly style to an appreciative home crowd time and again.
