Boxing: Delicious Orie says depression fear drove his retirement

“I’m afraid of eventually becoming a world champion, but I would be a very depressed, sad and miserable world champion.”

Delicious Orie had the world at her feet when she made her professional debut a year ago.

Despite the heavyweight failing to win a medal, there was a bidding war for him after the Paris Olympics.

Frank Warren’s Queensberry eventually saw off Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and WWE’s interest in signing him.

Heavyweight was the next big thing in boxing. And a month later, Orie shockingly announced his decision to quit boxing altogether.

“I wanted to withdraw before boxing exposed me,” he told BBC Sport.

“I turned pro for the money, I needed the money, but I realized money gives you some happiness, it really does, but it gives you zero satisfaction. Nothing. You don’t feel anything.”

Orie was a prominent fighter in the amateur ranks, even though he started this sport at the age of 18. He was originally from Russia and moved to England with his family in his childhood.

He set high standards for himself despite being a seven-year-old boy realizing the opportunities available to him in the UK.

Orie trained for years to become part of Team GB and earn a steady income from boxing. His goal in his journey, which lasted nearly ten years, was to become an Olympic champion. When this did not happen, Orie felt a change within him, albeit very slight.

“There was no plan B, there was nothing else, it was just tunnel vision to win that medal,” he says.

“So the fact that I didn’t make that feeling bigger when my hand wasn’t raised.

“I gave everything to sports, I missed everything: happiness, birthdays, weddings, funerals, everything,” he adds.

“It was very sobering to know that if I didn’t raise my hand, I would never be able to do that again.”