Former British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion, Mark Heffron, has announced his retirement from the sport.

The 33 year-old Oldhamer was a ferocious puncher who more than lived up to his ‘Kid Dynamite’ nickname.

Heffron posted the following on social media;

‘The time has come to retire from boxing I’ve been having a good hard think lately and decided I’m going to hang up my gloves. I’ve been a professional in the sport since 2010 and it’s took its toll on my body and I also had different priorities back then, now I have 2 daughters to think about and your health is your wealth. I would like to say a huge thanks to everyone who played a part in my career starting with my manager @maree_boxing who’s always been there for me through the good and bad and guided me I can trust this man with my life. A big thanks to all the many trainers I’ve had over the years. You started off as my trainers and I left having you as friends. I wouldn’t have been the fighter I was with out all the knowledge I picked up from you all. Thank you to my promoter @frank_warren_official who I spent pretty much all my career with for giving me all the opportunity’s, especially winning the British, commonwealth and ibf titles which is what I always dreamed of - being the British champion. I would like to thank my sponsors who have helped me out massively over the years you have all been so generous to me and to everyone who followed me around the country to support me I won’t ever forget the nights walking out to you all cheering for me. Lastly a big thank you to my beautiful fiancé who has been there for me and put up with me through the ups and downs of my career I love you forever and always I feel blessed to be a part of the sport it has given me some of the best nights of my life #boxing #boxinglife’

Heffron was seen as a sure-fire future champion when he turned professional as an 18 year-old. As an amateur he traveled out to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles where he sparred then WBA lightweight champion, Amir Khan, and earned the admiration of Freddie Roach.

He spent the early part of his career boxing under a Boxing Union of Ireland licence and living in Cork where he spent time with Hassan N’Dam and super bantamweight world champion, Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Eventually, Heffron returned home to the North West of England and began racking up wins.

His first British title opportunity came back in 2018 when he was matched with the excellent Liam Williams. The Welshman was at the peak of his powers and stopped Heffron in the tenth round of a one sided fight.

His second British title bid came behind closed doors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After battling to a ten round draw with Denzel Bentley in September 2020, the vacant title was put on the line when he and the Londoner renewed hostilities just two months later.

Heffron suffered a badly swollen eye in the second round and was withdrawn after the fourth.

He was forced to wait 18 months for his third opportunity but when it arrived, he grabbed it with both hands. Looking revitalized after moving up to super middleweight, Heffron finally produced the type of performance his believers always claimed he was capable of and dominated Lennox Clarke, tearing away the Birmingham man’s British and Commonwealth titles with a fifth round knockout.

Heffron would lose the title in his first defense, suffering a third round knockout to his former gymmate, Jack Cullen in September 2023.

The loss sent him back to the small halls where he rebuilt before accepting an all or nothing fight with Canadian knockout artist, Christian Mbilli last May.

Heffron travelled to Canada confident that he possessed the power to severely trouble the aggressive Mbilli but was badly hurt to the body by virtually the first punch of the fight and stopped in just forty seconds of the opening round.

It would be the last time he entered the ring.

Heffron retires with a record of 30-4-1 (24 KOs).