Prograis (30-4, 24 KOs) confirmed the pre-fight rumors were true during an emotional interview with The Ring's Louis Hart in his dressing room, less than an hour removed from a 10-round points loss to Benn.

When asked about his thoughts and feelings after the defeat, the 37-year-old didn't mince words.

"Going in, I knew I was going to retire. This is my last fight, I knew this months ago, just didn’t tell nobody but was terrified going into this. The rumors about me being hurt were true, I wanted to pull out of this fight so bad a month ago but kept pushing, I was terrified and thinking about pulling out even yesterday.

"It’s just emotional for me, so glad I went through this fight. It's a great fight to be my last against someone like Conor Benn, someone that was strong, an arena like this with 70,000 in a stadium ... couldn't ask for a better going away party, perfect end to my story."

He continued, adding that he suffered four separate injuries in training camp and had a pep talk from his mother, saying he'd regret withdrawing from a fight of such magnitude just as the retirement thoughts crept back in mind.

"My right hand was messed up, my eye, my jaw, rib injury, a bunch of things ... but it all held up. Nothing I was scared of [aggravating] happened in the ring, nothing showed up so I have no [new] injuries to worry about.

"It's a perfect storybook ending, I feel like this is Rocky when he fought Antonio Tarver, he was the older guy who wanted to prove what he could do and for me, I proved what I could do. I went up [in weight], stronger, we fought in-front of 70,000 people in London, this is the end of my career."

He elaborated on knowing when he'd bid farewell, sharing that many implored him to retire after winning a surprisingly back-and-forth battle with Joseph 'JoJo' Diaz last August.

"I felt like this after the JoJo fight, that I should retire but still have a little more left. One thing I don't want to do is be older with problems. Physically I still can do it, emotionally it's hard ... I train in Vegas, my kids live in Texas, it's hard to keep leaving my kids for different things. Officially, I'm retired."

Prograis continued discussing how 'terrifed' he was during the whole fight week build-up, but glad it happened in the end and could leave on his two feet many didn't foresee that outcome.

I've been to the top, there's no better thing to do in this [sport]. I'm very spiritual, have visions and stuff, felt like this was going to happen with me and Benn. I needed a fight like this, the younger, bigger and stronger dude, I'm going to look back on my career and be very proud, my kids [will be] too.

"I told my son here, when you're scared of something, make sure you go through it. I wanted to pull out today, was thinking about tripping outside the van, breaking my hand on Netflix, but so glad I didn't, went the ten rounds with Conor, perfect ending.

"I got through boxing, been to the top, made a bunch of money, did things nobody thought I would ever do, I'm proud of myself on what I did and accomplished, can move on to the next phase of my life. I came [to the UK] and lost here three times but it's fine, the people here love because they know I'm not going to give a boring fight."