ACCRA Ghanaian Azumah Nelson, who was three-time world champion in the featherweight and super featherweight divisions, has retired from boxing, the Ghanaian newspaper Graphic Sports said. The Sports said Nelson, 40, made the announcement on his return from South Africa where the World Boxing Council conferred on him a lifetime achievement award. I am not the type of man who says one thing today and turns back on it tomorrow, the paper quoted him as saying after announcing he was quitting for good.

Nelson has also been told he can expect to become the first African inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. During his 19-year professional career, he stopped 28 of his opponents within the distance, recording a total 38 wins, four losses and two draws. Among opponents he beat were Mexican Marcos Villasana, Mario Azabache Martinez, Australian Jeff Fenech, and Briton Jim McDonnell. His four defeats were at the hands of Pernell Whitaker, Jesse James Leija (twice) and Genardo Hernandez. (Reuter)