Ireland’s Andy Lee made the announcement that at the age of 33 he has hung up the gloves from professional boxing.

The decision may have slightly surprised some given the fact he’s still a relatively young man who lives a very healthy life outside of the ring.

There’s no denying he could have physically had a few more bouts but the decision in the end came down to family whom he wanted to spend more time with.

Lee leaves a legacy of being one of the good guys in boxing as well as a very capable fighter in his day, who became WBO middleweight champion of the world.

One thing he won’t miss in boxing though is some of the shady characters you have to deal with from time to time.

Speaking to Off The Ball on a radio show in Ireland – Lee said:

“I won’t miss dealing with unscrupulous people. Like the fighter is always the last person to be considered. These are guys who are for want of a better word, its like pimps. That’s what they are basically. That’s how they treat fighters. The people who looked after my career are not like that but the people you have to deal with (in boxing) are like that.”