For me, it is Lennox Lewis. He is one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time (only Louis would I put above him). His last match against the monster that was Vitali Klitschko was possibly his finest hour.
Klitschko was bigger, younger, quicker and stronger and yet the tactical Lewis still found a way to win.
The only other heavyweight boxer who has gone out as well as that, was Rocky Marciano and he didn’t face the same level of competition as Lewis.
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Broad
Stuart Broad got a six with his last ball faced as a batter and a wicket with his last ball as a bowler. That wicket also won a game that stopped the Aussies winning a test series in England for the first time since 2001. Pretty hard to beat.
Joe Calzaghe. I’d say he fought everyone that he “should” have fought and proved himself to be one of the best.
Feel he was never given the credit he was due.
Eddie the Eagle
Frank Bruno – for so long the great hope of British heavyweight boxing, there was something poetic about him finally becoming a champion only to get absolutely marmalised by Tyson in his very next fight.
Alex Ferguson. Bowed out by winning the league title in his final year to end a career of consistent success.
Carl Froch. A long, hard career with some massive wins and some tough losses. But to go out at Wembley stadium in front of 80,000 with a ridiculous punch sending Groves to the shadow realm was amazing.
Prince Naseem Hamed when he came up against someone who didn’t fall for his sub-Ali bullshit then getting booed in his final fight for being crap.
edit: He done our boy Steve Robinson dirty.
Carl Froch. Ended his career with the best punch he’d ever thrown and a KO of the year contender. Plus he’s from Nottingham.
Paul Scholes retired with 499 games played, and then came out of retirement to play one more game.
Alistair Cook – scores a century in his last test and sees his best mate go past McGrath’s record to win the match
Steve Redgrave has gotta be up there. Retiring on your fifth gold
Joe calzaghe beating Roy Jones Jr to stay undefeated and retire right after was awesome.
Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill both spent too long in F1 IMO. Mansell had a failed comeback with McLaren and Hill seemed a bit jaded his last year with Jordan.
David Coulthard stepped down after a few years at Red Bull – they weren’t the powerhouse they are now but as an experienced driver he was right for the team in their first few years.
I think Jenson Button also bowed out at the right time with McLaren, the team was in the doldrums a bit and he’d already had some good success with them before that.