"It's devastating, but it's Father Time" - Liam Harrison admits his body can no longer take the punishing grind of Muay Thai
After returning at ONE 168, Liam Harrison laid down his gloves in the middle of the Circle to announce his retirement.
'Hitman' has worked extremely hard to make it back to competition but he also knows when enough is enough.
As a veteran competitor, Harrison wanted to go out on his own terms, but he always knew that he would never be able to turn back time after the two years he had spent on the sidelines.
Whilst he still hopes to compete in some form back home, this is the end of his competitive career because his body can no longer match his brain.
The fans inside the Ball Arena in Denver on September 6 saw that even when he was hurt by Seksan Or Kwanmuang, there wasn't an ounce of quit in the Brit.
He kept firing back but it was only a matter of time before his opponent found the shot that closed the show.
In his post-fight press conference, Harrison spoke about why this is the right time to walk away rather than chasing one more victory:
"It's just that my body is failing me. I'm getting injured, I'm getting knocked down with shots that [wouldn't] knock me down [before]. It's devastating, but it's Father Time. I'm 39 next week, oh wait, in three weeks. And my f**king brain's going as well."
Watch the full press conference below:
Liam Harrison leaves behind an incredible legacy
Though he may not have got his hand raised in Denver, ONE 168 did give the fans one last opportunity to remember why Liam Harrison is such a legend of the game.
He has always been known as a fan favorite and that was on display right up until the end as he traded shots with Seksan.
'Hitman' wanted to go out on his shield and that's what he did on September 6 which ultimately, was a fitting way for him to leave the sport.
Harrison exited the same way that he entered, in a blaze of glory.
The full replay of ONE 168 is available on demand for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.