Hartlepool's greatest-ever fighter admitted that his mind and body were telling him to stop after over 130 all-action bouts as an amateur and professional.

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Hunter was a double ABA champion for Boys Welfare in the amateurs and then under trainer Neil Fannan and boss Dave Garside he won the British, Commonwealth and European titles, as well as a version of a world belt, the WBF super-bantamweight crown.

The exciting 29-year-old's only pro defeat came when he was knocked out in five rounds by Canada's Steve Molitor when the pair clashed for the vacant IBF world super-bantamweight championship at the Borough Hall in November 2006.

Hunter has fought only twice since – an eight-round points win over Ben Odamattey of Ghana in Crawley last March and a scrappy six-round success over Youssef Al Hamidi at Peterlee Leisure Centre last month.

"The journey's over," smiled Hunter, who has retired with an outstanding record of 28 wins (13 by stoppage), one draw and just one defeat from 30 contests.

"To be honest, I'm over the moon I've called it a day.

"I've struggled over the last year or so for motivation and admit I've fallen out of love with boxing a few times and said I'm going to pack in.

"This time though it's for good – there will be no way back.
"I sat down with Neil and we talked about it and decided it was the correct decision.

"After my mam died, I really threw myself back into my boxing," said Hunter of his devoted mother Margo who died suddenly at the end of last year.

"I trained like crazy and I was back in the gym after beating Hamidi, but it didn't feel right any more.

"My body was telling me that it was time to stop – I've not had many easy fights in my career and I've been in a lot of good old-fashioned tear-ups.

"And having to make the weight is like winning a fight in itself.

"I watched the first few rounds of Rendall Munroe and Kiko Martinez fighting for my old European title on Friday night and thought 'I could beat either of you'. I ended up switching it off.

"But I just could not face the prospect of spending weeks boiling myself down to the weight.

"It's not just been my body telling me to stop – the biggest fear I have in boxing is defeat, I hate losing.

"But I know though if I'd kept going that there was a danger I'd lose and that's something I couldn't have stomached.

"Going out now is the right time."

The former bricklayer is looking to build a new life for himself – he insists he is leaving boxing with no regrets.

"I've loved the tear-ups, I've loved the glory nights, but it's time for me to move on to something new," said the dad of two, who has just got engaged, to partner Joanne Brackstone.

"I really want to work with kids, kids who've maybe gone off the tracks a little bit.

"I feel I have a lot to offer and that's my ambition."