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THE bell has rung on popular Bendigo boxer Justin Whitehead’s in-ring career.
Whitehead hangs up the gloves following a sterling amateur career which took him all the way to a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in Malaysia in 1988 and ended with a 6-2 professional record.
The three-time heavyweight champion had not fought since a unanimous points decision loss to Herman Ene Purcell in October 2016.
But Whitehead, who insisted he was hanging up the gloves with no regrets, said it was a loss against New Zealand-based American Julius Long in his second last fight in Bendigo in 2015 that had left him considering whether continuing was worthwhile.
“The Julius fight was different to my previous (six professional) fights in that I didn’t think I was really prepared at the time,” he said.
“You have to get the right fights at the right time – where I was in my comeback, that wasn’t the right fight.
“It was more about selling the fight than progressing me in the comeback.
“The second one against Herman, I probably just didn’t want it enough, so that’s probably why I have decided to give it away.
“You really need to want it. This is not being disrespectful to Herman, but that is a fight I should have won had I stuck to my game plan and what I’d be doing.
“I don’t have a problem with the fact I didn’t win that fight, it’s the mindset as to why I didn’t win that concerned me more.
“I still go to the gym and train and spar, but you really need to have that intent to fight.
“And being a bit older I am glad that has passed – it’s a good stage of life.”
Whitehead, who had tinkered with retirement for months, found great irony in finally deciding to pull the plug while the man who handed him his first professional loss in Long was visiting his hometown at the invite of 3T Fitness Bendigo.
His 6-2 professional career was highlighted by an Australian heavyweight title win against Colin Wilson in 2010.
It would in fact be his last fight for five years before he scored a knockout win over American Clarence Tillman in his comeback in August 2015.
Along the way he also won the World Boxing Federation Asia Pacific heavyweight belt in his second fight against Kim Heta in 2009, and the then-vacant World Boxing Foundation international heavyweight title against Solomon Haumono.
Whitehead, who trained under brothers Pat and Gary Connolly at their California Gully gym throughout his career, said he would not be lost to boxing altogether and was keen to mentor any young boxer in Bendigo in need of advice
He said he was proud of what he achieved, especially given his later than normal start to a boxing career, and rated his Australian heavyweight championship win as the pinnacle.
“I started boxing late – I didn’t start until I was 26 and two years later I’m at the Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“Things progressed very fast, but it was always a battle mentally to come up for a fight.
“I was always fit, trained hard and hard the skills, mentally it was a battle.”
Whitehead said he had the utmost respect for all those who dedicated themselves to training boxers in Bendigo, including the Connolly brothers, Frank Pianto and Danniel Burton.
“All these guys are different personalities and offer different things to the young blokes, but the main thing is they are all giving their time and expertise.” he said.
“The sport and fighters here are in good hands.
“Boxing is not the mugs game some make it out to be and the good thing is you don’t have to actually compete (competitively) to enjoy it. There’s no better to stay fit and in shape.”
Whitehead went 36-20 in the amateurs, advancing to the Commonwealth Games in 1998, where he won bronze in the heavyweight division.
He added gold medals at the 2002 and 2003 Oceania Games in New Zealand and Tahiti and was a three-time Australian amateur champion in 1998, 1999 and 2004.