Haskins, who was IBF world bantamweight champion from 2015 to 2017, has been hit by a knee injury for over a year.

He wanted to give it one last shot at winning another title but was stopped in the sixth round by Joyce in Belfast.

“I’ll never fight again,” said Haskins, from Bristol. “I’m really struggling with some injuries,”

Haskins will now concentrate on coaching and training his 19-year-old son Anton who turned professional last year.

Fighting on the undercard of Belfast boxer Sean McComb’s latest success in his home city at the Ulster Hall, Haskins was fighting for the only the second time in two years,

After a points win over Sergio Gonzalez at Bristol’s Whitchurch Leisure Centre in October, Haskins controlled the opening couple of rounds against Joyce.

But he increasingly appeared to be bothered by a knee injury, helping Joyce to take control.

He was then floored by a left-hand in the sixth round and the end came just moments later when referee Harold Foster stepped in.

Haskins suffered just five defeats in his 41 fights over 17 years as a professional, also winning English, British, Commonwealth and European titles at flyweight, super-flyweight and bantamweight.

He claimed the world title for the first time in March 2015 when he beat Japanese fighter Ryosuke Iwasa in Bristol.

Article courtesy of BBC Sport