Audley Harrison admitted the end may finally be nigh after he was stopped by knockout artist Deontay Wilder inside 70 seconds in Sheffield on Saturday night.
The London heavyweight's latest comeback ended in farcical scenes reminiscent of his defeat to David Price last year.
The 41-year-old accepted that his world title dream is over and it could be time to hang up his gloves.
Furious: American Deontay Wilder gave Audley Harrison a barage of punches
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Harrison said: 'I think this time it is probably the end.
'There are only so many times I go knocking on doors. I've smashed those doors down in the past and shown tremendous fortitude.
'But this comeback took everything I had and I've been knocked out in the first round again.
'I will go away and think about it and talk to my family, but I don't know if I can put myself through it, or put my family through it.
'I have to accept that age the age of 41 I'm not going to get many more chances, but if it is the end I can be proud of what I've done, winning the Olympic title and the European title.
'I always said if I prepared right and came in for a fight fully focused and I was beaten then that would be it. I fought a guy with 27 knockout wins and I became number 28.
'I will go away and think about it but I think it is probably the end.'
Finished: Harrison didn't understand the decision to stop the fight so soon
Harrison looked to be heading for retirement when he was blasted out in just 82 seconds by Price last October but returned to the ring in February to win his second Prizefighter tournament at London's York Hall.
His opponents that night - Derric Rossy, Martin Rogan and Claus Bertino - looked a long way short of world class but Harrison insisted that even at his advanced age, he could still reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Having won gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, he was crowned European champion three years ago but has consistently fallen short at the highest level and lost to David Haye in a world title challenge in 2010 having barely thrown a punch.
Wilder meanwhile had raced to a record 27 stoppage victories from as many contests since turning professional on the back of a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The 27-year-old from Alabama has been criticised for his apparently padded record but only eight of his previous opponents had losing records.
His victory over Harrison will have done little to alter that perception as he plots a route to the top of the division.
Up and down: The careers of Wilder and Harrison are set to go in completely different directions
The American was given a hostile reception by the crowd as he entered the ring but had won them over just a few minutes later.
After a slow start in which neither fighter made an impact, Wilder looked to let go with his right hand and as if on cue, Harrison slumped down by the corner.
He struggled to get up as the count sounded and the contest was waved off by the referee.
'I got up, I beat the count. I wanted to continue - 100 per cent,' Harrison said. 'I had my senses about me and I was still in the fight.'It's looking like the end.'