Katsidis ponders his future - ABC Online

"I'm fine," the Toowoomba born boxer says. I feel fantastic. I have no conditions that will stop me from leading a happy and productive life."

But on continuing a happy and productive boxing career, he is a little uncertain.

"I still have to consult medical staff. I still have to speak with my family. People are speculating, but I'm waiting for a conversation with medical staff."

"I was absolutely gutted when I had to pull out of the fight. It's something I've never had to do before."

"It's been pretty emotional. When the specialist broke the news to me I felt gutted."

Katsidis admits fighting took on a new meaning after the death of his brother, champion jockey Stathi Katsidis.

"When I was fighting, I felt like I was fighting for him. That he did it through me. That's why I kept on fighting. It drove me along."

"I always had something to prove. I think if you fight it's because you have something to prove. I wanted to prove this guy from the Darling Downs could take on the world and beat them in their own backyard."

Katsidis hasn't completely ruled out a life in the sport. He told ABC radio "I am retiring from fighting, but I'm not retiring from boxing."

"When I was 11 years old I started boxing...I was watching a Rocky movie, and I said seriously to dad 'I want to be like Rocky'. As crazy as it sounds, that's what it was."

"Now I'm 32. I haven't done anything else. I don't know which direction I'm going," Michael Katsidis says.