Amir Khan will consider his future after losing his grudge fight with Kell Brook in dominant fashion.
The bitter rivals finally settled their beef after almost two decades of bickering as they met in Manchester last night.
Brook started sharper and refused to let up, rocking Khan several times before finally forcing referee Victor Loughlin to step in in the sixth round.
And Khan, who had not fought since the summer of 2019, admitted: "He put a great performance on and did everything he needed to.
“He was the best man tonight. I had a great, great training camp, but I just couldn't get going.
“I was missing quite a lot. Kell was on his A-game, all respect goes out to him."
Khan, like Brook a former world champion, admitted he will likely retire after suffering the sixth defeat of an illustrious career.
“I've had 40 fights, winning two world titles, fighting in America and around the world," he added.
“I need to sit down with my family. But it is more towards the end of my career.
"The love for the sport isn't there anymore. In the ring, I didn't have excitement and that push.
"That's maybe a sign that I should call it a day but let's see."
Brook and Khan embraced after the referee had stepped in to halt the Bolton man’s punishment.
And the winner added: "I've always had respect for him. But when I didn't get it back? It's hard to like someone.
"But he took shots and tried to hold on. I respect him for that. He said we can get a coffee after!"
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Khan seemed keen to avoid Brook’s right hand and keep the fight at distance and he was able to get in and out of range in the second round with some impressive flurries that have been the trademark of his 17-year professional career.
But a thudding right hand towards the end of the third round left Khan shaken again, with the bell perhaps saving Brook, who made his debut in the paid ranks in September 2004 and whose previous fight before this saw him defeated by Terence Crawford in November 2020.
The pair were setting a frenetic pace in a fevered atmosphere but while Khan was looking to shake off the ring rust, he was once more cornered on the ropes as the fourth round came to a conclusion.
The one-way traffic continued into the fifth as expectations of a closely-contested occasion went out the window and while Khan survived the round, he was soon in trouble at the start of the sixth.
Brook was throwing heavy punches from all angles and with Khan unable to escape the ropes, Loughlin opted to bring a halt to proceedings, as the Yorkshire fighter rushed to his corner to celebrate.
