Black Country crowd-pleaser Dean Harrison has called time on his six-year paid career.
The Wolverhampton light-welterweight was decked and shockingly taken out inside two minutes by John Watson in the opening-round of Prizefighter at his city's Civic Hall on Saturday night - meaning he lost his fourth contest on the bounce.
For a neat-boxing stylist who won his first 12, was good enough to fight for the British title and to twice engage in contests in Las Vegas it was the heaviest hint that it was time to hang up his gloves.
But despite a rocky previous two years the 28-year-old bricklayer can look back with pride on a 23-bout [16 wins, five inside, and seven defeats] journey that saw him wear Midlands Area and International Masters straps, as well twice contesting English 10st titles and the Lonsdale Belt.
It's never been dull - and it was evident it never would be from day one.
Harrison had a tougher-than-expected scrap with Joe Mitchell on his pro bow in 2006, which didn't look likely after sending his Brummie opponent to the floor with a furious body assault in the opening three minutes. But heavier Mitchell fired back and pushed the touted first-timer all the way before going down 38-37.
After that, however, 'Deano' breezed through his opponents. Kristian Laight [twice], Baz Carey and Daniel Thorpe were all accounted for over four without dropping a single round. And though he had to climb of the floor to halt tall, awkward Judex Meemea in front of the Sky Sports cameras, durable threesome Johnny Greaves, Jason Nesbitt and Rakhim Mingaleyev were all widely-outscored over six.
Then in December 2007, along with stablemate Martin Gethin, Harrison thumped Ramon Guevara to a five-round defeat at the MGM Grand. In truth, the Errol Johnson-trained Midlander was punch-perfect that night. He followed that up with another stoppage, this time at a packed [as always] Wolverhampton Civic Hall, over wild-swinging African Alex Brew, who was broken down and rescued in seven.
Hammer-fisted Gary Reid was brought to his fortress to give the popular local his first real acid test - and he passed it with an eight-round points nod that looked wider than the 78-76 margin handed down by John Keane. He mixed it in close with the noted body puncher and out-boxed him on the outside to control matters for a large majority of the 24 minutes.
Dean suffered his first defeat five months later, controversially outpointed by Scott Haywood in an West vs East Midlands ten-round showdown for the English title. Both traded on level terms for most of the contest but it was Derby's Haywood who was handed a 97-96 nod in a tight bout that was shown on Sky Sports.
The International Masters belt was strapped around Dean's waist a fight later, though, after forcing normally-sturdy Chris Long to retire after eight. Though the official reason was a shoulder injury, Harrison had, in truth, handed out a savage one-sided beating and it was a mercy stoppage.
And in spite of being taken out in four by future European champion and world title challenger Paul McCloskey for the British belt in 2009, Harrison gave a solid account of himself and seemed to be getting the better of the early stages of the 12-rounder. But he was sent sprawling late in the first and halted three sessions later.
At that stage, though, Dean's record read a none-too-shabby 14-2 (4) and he was fully-expected to regroup and mount another charge at the best domestic men at light-welterweight. Yet his career never really recovered, surprisingly stopped in three by erratic southpaw Darren Askew two bouts later.
Still, he looked at his brilliant best when taking out champion Ben Lawler with a picture-perfect right hand in just 135 seconds to capture the Midlands strap in 2010. Now with Manchester-based Lee Beard, who had a brief spell training Ricky Hatton, he looked fit, hungry and ready to fulfill his promise. But that was to be his last victory.
Nigel Wright was dropped but clambered to his feet and unanimously outpointed the Wolverhampton craftsman in his second crack at the English title, world-class American Mike Alvarado forced him to retire after four at The Mandalay Bay, and then he surprisingly lost a four-rounder to decent journeyman William Warburton in October. Then came the Watson defeat at the weekend.
But there are more important matters in life than boxing, and Harrison had a none-too-ideal lead-up to the popular Matchroom-promoted event in his home city. His first son, Dustin, was born three months prematurely on February 4 and though in reasonable health will spend the next 12 weeks in hospital. It's little wonder his showing on Saturday was so tepid.
"To be honest, i've struggled with making 10st for about two years," conceded the ardent Wolverhampton Wanderers supporter who always brought a sizeable following with him, irrespective of venue. "I can't seem to get any fights at welterweight so that's me finished.
"I can look back and feel pride with the things I've achieved - winning a couple of titles and boxing in Vegas. Those are the type of things you don't forget. But I've got my son and wife to think about now and i wan't to be there when he grows up.
"But i'd just like to say thank you to everyone who's ever supported me. It's meant a lot, it really has," he added.
