Ciaran McVarnock announces Retirement

Belfast fighter Ciaran McVarnock has announced his surprise retirement at the age of 29.

The New Lodge featherweight finishes in the sport with a record of 11 wins and one draw following his narrow win over Jamie Quinn in the Sheffield Arena car park back in May.

McVarnock gave no indication before or after this FightZone outing that it would be his last but further details on the decision will be revealed togay.

In a post to social media last night, McVarnock declared “time to hang up the gloves! Full interview coming tomorrow on the reasons I am now retired from boxing and move on with the next chapter of my life!”

“Thank you to everyone that has supported me and been apart of some of the best moments of my life that I will never forget!”

Following a relatively undistinguished amateur career, McVarnock turned pro in 2013, relocating to Arnie Farnell’s Gym in Manchester and signing with Frank Warren. Four wins followed, included his one and only six round contest, before a thrilling draw with the larger Jose Acero in Marbella in August 2015, a fight in which he battled back from being hurt in the second round.

‘Bunty’ banked two more wins before being lined up to face fellow Queensberry prospect Raza Hamza in October 2016 only for this fight to fall through. McVarnock claimed three wins in 2017 on the small hall scene before relocating home to Belfast in 2018, parting company with Farnell and, eventually, returning to the ring in a war with Alec Bazza on Celtic Clash 8 in 2019.

Some time away from the sport followed as his partner battled with cystic fibrosis but, with good news on that front, McVarnock linked up with Dubliner Kevin Maree and was back in the ring earlier this summer versus Quinn in what, it turns out, was his final fight.

Irish-Boxing.com would like to wish Ciaran all the best in retirement.