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Lincoln's first world boxing champion has retired from the sport after admitting cheating on eye tests.

Nathan Decastro has had his professional boxing license revoked after 18 years and 116 fights.

The Nightmare, as he's known in the ring, was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa, meaning he has difficult seeing at night and may lose peripheral vision.

In a brutally honest social media post, Decastro revelled that he had sent someone in to take his place in his screening for his professional license.

The boxer also memorised the letters on the eye chart when he obtained his amateur license.

Now after coming clean, the boxer has admitted he is heartbroken, but knew that the decision could have come at any time.

In a Facebook post he said: "I’m heartbroken and I’m hurting badly writing this, but my boxing career has come to an end, I knew this could come at any time due to my circumstance but its still hard to digest.

"I was born with Retinitis Pigmentosa that has affected my vision from the age of 13 and after 18 years of fighting, ducking and diving tests I have finally been caught out and I’ve had my professional licence revoked and been forced to retire which has broke me.

"I passed my amateur medical by cheating walking up to the eye chart, remembering the letters to then read them out from my memory to the doctor.

"Professional medical I got someone else to go in as me to to the optician to pass the eye test.

"Pre-fight medical amateur and pro somehow I just always managed to wing it, I was nearly caught out a few times but a bit of quick thinking always sorted it.

(Image: CameraSport - Chris Vaughan)

"I’ve had a tough battle with depression through my illness - some days I didn’t want to get up, feeling a hindrance on people close to me, scared about my future but everyday I got up bit down on my gum shield and dealt with it the best way I could.

"From the age of 13 I wasn’t medically fit to box, but I had a dream.

"I didn’t want to just throw the towel in at the first obstacle in my way.

"I wanted to achieve something in my boxing career, something that I could look back on in years to come and be proud of my achievements and you know what, that’s exactly what I’ve done."

The Bracebridge-based boxer said: "I want to thank everyone who’s supported me in my boxing career and helped me to live out the dream.

"That goes to all my fans who bought tickets to my fights right through to all my sponsors who backed me financially and also with their knowledge throughout my career.

"I owe a lot to my Dad who has really stood by me throughout it all, he really believed in me and helped guide me through a successful boxing career.

"I want to say a huge thank you to Rachel Casey for all her help in making my last year as a professional boxer a special one."

He added: "Thank you to my manager Lee McAlister who has helped push my career to the next level since I signed with him in 2017.

"And of course a special mention goes to Bracebridge Boxing Club, 18 years of fighting and I’m happy I got the chance to represent them for the whole of my career.

"I’m going to get the help I need mentally so I can rebuild my life without boxing.

" I thought the answer was at the bottom of a beer glass and basically lost the plot drinking heavily but turning to drink is not the answer.

"Right now my life feels in turmoil knowing I’ll never fight again, it’s all I’ve ever known.

"I generally don’t know how I’m going to cope without it but for now I can fully concentrate on my business and some financial investments that I have made, them along with boxing has financially secured my future.

"That all been said its now time to start on the next chapter and that will be helping train the fighters down the gym and eventually in time I’ll get my trainers licence and pass on what I’ve learnt throughout my time in this special sport."