Former three-weight world champion Akira Yaegashi announced Tuesday that he is retiring after 15 years as a professional boxer.
"Although I haven't ever felt the limits of my physical strength, I'm not able to continue as an active boxer all on my own," Yaegashi said during an online press conference.
The 37-year-old Japanese fighter said he agreed with Hideyuki Ohashi, a former world champion and founder of the Yokohama-based gym to which he belongs, who told him, "You've done enough."
Yaegashi made his professional debut in 2005 and won the WBA minimumweight title in 2011, the WBC flyweight title in 2013 and the IBF light flyweight title in 2015, when he became the third Japanese man to become champion in three different weight classes.
He decided to continue his career after losing his IBF crown to the Philippines' Milan Melindo in 2017, but was never able to reach his long-time goal of becoming the first Japanese four-weight champion, a feat Kazuto Ioka accomplished last year.
Yaegashi retires with a career record of 28 wins, including 16 by knockout, and seven losses. His last bout was in December, when he lost his challenge for the IBF flyweight title against South Africa's Moruti Mthalane.
The Iwate Prefecture native said he will remain at the Ohashi Gym as a trainer.