Why I Rejected Rematch With Anthony Joshua - Wladimir Klitschko

Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Wladimir Klitschko, has spoken out about why he ended a rematch with British-Nigerian world champion Anthony Joshua.

Joshua scored an eleventh round victory against Klitschko nearly eleven months ago in an exciting heavyweight contest.

After the game, fans and experts wanted to see both boxers in the ring.

But Klitschko refused a rematch of $ 30 million (£ 22 million) and decided to withdraw from the sport.

"The way I boxed was the way I acted my life.

"I have to make sure everything is there.

"And I knew my shares were going up after I had lost for some strange reason, but it was the most complicated and difficult decision of my life ever.

"I've been doing it for 27 years and if you know you have to take the plug out, that's done.

"So I said to myself 'Wlad c'mon man you have to make a decision', because one day I would get up and say yes I go for it, then second day that I would wake up and say wait a second it goes about AJ, it's about rematch.

"So you have to be honest with yourself, what is your gut feeling when you say that once your brain is turned on, you are gone," Klitschko told the BBC.