Just found it weird, he was lined up to fight David Haye. He was 29-0 and then decided to hang them up instead, just weird and illogical decision making. Did he have other issues outside of the ring to make him decide this?
I do not think think he wanted to play the politics of the game: From an article by Keith Terceira, originally in Boxing News in 2008: "Responding to the comments of Adam Booth, manager and trainer of Haye, who told UK media: ’He said: 'I'm not coming to England to get knocked out,” Booth said. “This after agreeing a substantial amount of money.” Chapman maintains that was an outright lie, but does say he never agreed when signing his deal with Scott Hirsch to be sent to England as an opponent for short money after not fighting since February. He turned down the fight with Haye because of concerns having to do with his conditioning, training, and having to take a fight of this type on less than eight weeks notice. Furthermore Chapman is totally disgusted with the changes that have taken place within his team and the addition of Mike Borao, who was not privy to the original promises & plans laid out by Scott Hirsch when Hirsch was Chapman’s manager. A long term plan suddenly became a rush to a promotional payday and any discussion about a mid-six-figure offer was never passed on to John David Chapman." "Hirsch later became Chapman’s promoter, and according to people close to Chapman - things changed with the relationship and communication. In conversations with friends, Chapman revealed today that he had not even spoke to Scott Hirsch in the three months prior to being told by phone on Monday that; “You are fighting David Haye for a hundred thousand dollars in November and had to be on a plane the following morning for a press conference in England.” After being repeatedly pressured and warned of dire consequences that would make things tough for him should he turn down the offer, Chapman felt the need to return to Arkansas and at this point he has little interest in anything related to boxing and is considering all of his options regarding his career."