Delicious Orie’s journey in boxing has been nothing short of a whirlwind, culminating in an abrupt retirement from his professional career last year after just a single fight. Now, the 28-year-old English heavyweight, who once claimed Commonwealth gold and boxed at the Olympics, is back at the Commonwealth Games, but in a totally different role, and he is opening up about why he walked away from the ring.
“A Different Beast, A Different Animal”
Orie, who now primarily works in the financial sector, is stepping into the pundit’s chair for TNT Sports at the 2026 Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games. He is still deeply connected to the boxing world, telling the Independent that he “very much love[s] the sport and I still want to be involved.” But the reason for his sudden exit from professional fighting? He just didn’t want to fight that “different beast” anymore. He said it himself, “stepping in the ring was a different beast, a different animal that I didn’t really want to fight anymore,” adding with a laugh, “Metaphorically speaking.” The peace he found after announcing his retirement was immediate, describing it as a “weight was lifted off my shoulders.” It wasn’t about disliking the sport, not at all, but about a personal shift. He’s still connected, “just from a different angle.”
Pressure, Peace, and the Pure Joy of the Games
For Orie, thinking back to the Commonwealth Games brings a flood of emotion. While he’d have described himself as “very, very nervous, very anxious” in the week leading up to his own Games performance, that feeling has totally transformed. Now, hearing “Commonwealth Games” immediately evokes “warmth, and it’s joy, it’s happiness.” The pressure was immense back then, especially as it was his first multi-sport event, with legends like Joe Joyce and Frazer Clarke having set the gold medal benchmark. Dealing with that pressure was tough, but looking back, Orie calls it “genuinely the best experience I had in my journey as a boxer.” He believes extreme pressure reveals your true self, both self-doubt and self-belief, offering “a fast track into knowing who I am.” No meditation retreat needed, just the Commonwealth Games!
Beyond the competition, Orie cherishes the “sense of unity between countries,” and the unexpected cultural exchange. He learned about nations he didn’t even know existed, found out what made people laugh, and even got invitations to people’s homes from around the world. The Commonwealth Games, his first multi-sport event, felt incredibly “grand,” an experience he knows “will stay with me forever.”
Orie’s journey from fighter to financial analyst to pundit shows that even when you step away from the fight, the love for the game and its lasting impact never truly fade. He’s embracing his new role, bringing his unique perspective to the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply