In his most recent venture, the 46 year-old announced his return after a seventeen month absence to face two-fight novice Kirk Lawton at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in New South Wales, Australia last Saturday.
Looking bloated even by his standards, Esch laboured through the first two rounds until pulling out of the fight with a shoulder injury and has now finally realised that the time to back away from the sport has arrived.
The entertaining slugger hangs up his gloves with a 77-10-4 record, which includes an impressive tally of 58 knockouts, 15 of which came in the first round alone. Now a cult figure with boxing fans, Esch will hopefully avoid yet another attempt to roll back the years and allow his certain legacy as one of the best four round fighters of all time fester accordingly.
