daniel chigunwe
DEREK CHISORA has suggested three possible opponents for his next and likely final career fight.
The 50th and out fight for the Zimbabwean-born British heavyweight boxer will next have promises to be an even more emotional event, and a much bigger fight.
And Chisora, who says he believes he has earned the right to have a “blockbuster” fight in his career finale, is aiming high — Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua, and Oleksandr Usyk.
After Saturday’s victory over Otto Wallin, Chisora canvassed the crowd as to whether they wanted to see him fight Daniel Dubois, the IBF heavyweight list, Oleksandr Usyk, the unified WBC, WBA, and WBO champion, or Anthony Joshua.
Joshua remains a major star in British boxing, but he has not managed to reclaim a world title since his first loss to Usyk.
He lost a 2022 rematch to Usyk, and Dubois, now the IBF champion, knocked him out last September inside five rounds.
Chisora has always been on good terms with Joshua. They both boxed for the same amateur club, Finchley ABC, and now Chisora’s career is handled by Joshua’s management company.
After his win over Wallin as he looks at imminent retirement, Chisora said, “I need something big. I think I’ve earned something big.”
He’s not convinced that will be Joshua, who he expects to fight Tyson Fury — despite the 36-year-old retiring after his second defeat to Usyk.
“Who knows? Right now, AJ is healing himself after the defeat from Daniel Dubois. He’s not ready yet. When he’s ready he’ll come back, and I think he’ll come back — not to fight me but to fight the ‘Gypsy King,’” Chisora said post-fight.
“I’ll let the public decide (who next). I’ll let you guys decide.”
Boxing Francis Ngannou, an MMA heavyweight champion in both UFC and PFL, in a crossover event has no great appeal for Chisora.
“I don’t think Francis Ngannou will come back to boxing after the AJ loss,” he said. “I want to fight a fighter.”
Then he joked, “I might fight Jake Paul; who knows?”
Chisora has now had 49 professional contests, including fights with Oleksandr Usyk, Vitali Klitschko, and a trilogy with Tyson Fury.
A 50th and probably final fight is likely to take place overseas. “I think I’m getting old,” Chisora said after beating Wallin.
“It was very emotional for me,” he continued. “When I arrived, I said to myself before I left my hotel, “I’m not going to cry.”
“It was very emotional for me and very sad because I love this game so much. So I just started crying. I was crying like a kid.”
Chisora will, of course, need a good rest before he can fight again, this for the very last time, and he really has set the bar high in calling for either one of the three fighters he listed (with posters of all three potential dance partners paraded around the ring on Saturday night in Manchester). — SkySports/Sports Reporter.
Online Reporter