Latest news with #DerekChisora
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Derek Chisora handed heavyweight title lifeline after WBO verdict on Joseph Parker trilogy
Derek Chisora has been handed a world-title fight lifeline, with the WBO green-lighting a trilogy fight against Joseph Parker. With WBO interim heavyweight champion Parker set for a return in September, a third fight with Chisora could be on the cards. World Boxing Organisation (WBO) president Gustavo Olivieri revealed to Sky Sports that 'Parker may defend his interim title against any of the top-15 WBO world-rated contenders'. Chisora is now the WBO's seventh-ranked heavyweight boxer, and has seen his upcoming career prospects boosted by the organisation saying it would sanction a challenge to the New Zealander Parker. The Briton's next fight will be his 50th and likely final, with 36 wins and 13 losses next to his name to date. Frank Warren-fronted Queensberry promotions, who represent both Chisora and Parker, are putting plans together for the coming months, with the latter scheduled as the next mandatory challenger to unified champ Oleksandr Usyk, who defends against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium on 19 July. Parker's representative David Higgins has confirmed that the 33-year-old Kiwi would be open to a third fight with Chisora, when speaking to Sky Sports. Parker has already beaten Chisora twice, with a split decision in 2021 and unanimous decision the following year. Since then, he has piled on victories over the likes of Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Martin Bakole. Chisora, now 41, has lost just once since being felled by former WBO champion Parker twice in succession, with victories over Kubrat Pulev, Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce, and most recently Otto Wallin in February. He last challenged for heavyweight gold in December 2022, when Tyson Fury stopped him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to retain his WBC crown.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Frank Warren names potential final foe for Derek Chisora
Promoter Frank Warren has intimated that heavyweight stalwart Derek Chisora may be in line for a fight against Joseph Parker. In a video posted to the Queensberry Promotions YouTube channel, Warren said that he was looking to put together a 'big, big' fight for Chisora, 36-13 (23), who has said that whatever comes next will be his final bout. Warren said: 'Obviously for his fiftieth, he's said it's going to be his last, and he wants it to be a big, big fight. And he's in a position where he's the mandatory challenger for the title.' According to the IBF, Chisora is currently the mandatory challenger for its heavyweight title, which is held by Daniel Dubois. Chisora last fought in February when he scored a twelve-round decision over Otto Wallin in an IBF eliminator and is currently on a three-fight winning streak following his tenth-round loss to Tyson Fury in 2022. Warren said that following the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Dubois, there will be some clarity within the heavyweight division. He said: 'There's four belts on the line. We're going to find out who's the best, who's the champion, and then all these mandatories are going to kick in. So all these guys are in the number one spot, or they're interim champions. It's going to open up for them.' He added: 'I have no idea at this stage, but the first one in will be the WBO mandatory. That's the one that's been ordered, and it's due. And that's Joseph Parker.' Warren said that he would love to put on a third fight between Parker and Chisora. The former, he said, was looking to fight once more in September. The heavyweight scene, Warren said, was on fire with a potential fight in Germany involving Agit Kabayel and the possibility of Joe Joyce fighting once again. David Adeleye was another heavyweight that Warren spoke about. Without giving any detail, Warren said that there was a 'big, big' announcement coming soon. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month. A subscription includes weekly magazine shows, comprehensive fight library, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and podcasts and vodcasts.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
British boxing great lines up fight to become Reform Mayor of London after friendship with Nigel Farage
DEREK Chisora is eyeing up his toughest fight yet - to become a Reform UK mayor. The British heavyweight is being urged by pals to run to be London Mayor. 2 2 The boxing star, 41, is close pals with Nigel Farage and campaigned for Brexit. Friends reckon he could floor Labour in the capital. If he entered the fray for City Hall, he would be the second boxer to stand for Reform. Olympic medalist Luke Campbell was elected Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire earlier this year. A source close to Chisora told The Sun on Sunday: 'Derek has been a loyal supporter of Nigel for years and they are known to attend social events together. Nigel is always ringside at his fights. 'Friends of Derek are urging him to ' do a Luke' and take on Labour at the next London election. 'He has real personality and stands a good chance of winning if the Reform surge continues.' Chisora is just one bout short of his 50th fight - and then is expected to hang up his boxing gloves. He has previously spoken of his friendship with Nigel Farage, saying: 'I don't know anything about politics, but I think we have to put British people first. "I became friends with Nigel and Nick Candy and campaigned for Brexit.' But Chisora faces a battle to be picked by Reform to be their candidate for London Mayor. Fellow Reform backer Celebrity SAS hardman Ant Middleton has said he wants the job. Sadiq Khan is expected to step down as Labour London Mayor before the next election in 2028. Possible contenders to replace him as Labour candidate include actor Idris Elba, Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and Labour MP Dawn Butler.
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Derek Chisora considers wading into the political ring with a run at London Mayor for Reform UK
DEREK Chisora is eyeing up his toughest fight yet - to become a Reform UK mayor. The British heavyweight is being urged by pals to run to be London Mayor. 2 The boxing star, 41, is close pals with Nigel Farage and campaigned for Brexit. Friends reckon he could floor Labour in the capital. If he entered the fray for City Hall, he would be the second boxer to stand for Reform. Olympic medalist Luke Campbell was elected Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire earlier this year. A source close to Chisora told The Sun on Sunday: 'Derek has been a loyal supporter of Nigel for years and they are known to attend social events together. Nigel is always ringside at his fights. 'Friends of Derek are urging him to ' do a Luke' and take on Labour at the next London election. 'He has real personality and stands a good chance of winning if the Reform surge continues.' Chisora is just one bout short of his 50th fight - and then is expected to hang up his boxing gloves. He has previously spoken of his friendship with Nigel Farage, saying: 'I don't know anything about politics, but I think we have to put British people first. "I became friends with Nigel and Nick Candy and campaigned for Brexit.' But Chisora faces a battle to be picked by Reform to be their candidate for London Mayor. 2 Fellow Reform backer Celebrity SAS hardman Ant Middleton has said he wants the job. Sadiq Khan is expected to step down as Labour London Mayor before the next election in 2028.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bakole-Ajagba: Will either fighter join the ranks of great gatekeepers in the heavyweight division?
You never know how well a fighter will deal with a proper punch until they hear the bell for the first time. Likewise, you never know how far they can go until they have been properly tested. Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba go head-to-head on the undercard of Canelo-Scull this Saturday, May 3, with both fighters in top-10 contention in the IBF's rankings. While a win would further either boxer's career, a loss could spell an end to their hopes of becoming world champions. As we have seen over the years, boxers unable to win a world title often take up a role of gatekeeper and up becoming a testing ground for other fighters. With the prospect of another being formed this weekend, we have taken a look at some of the most notable gatekeepers over the years in the heavyweight division. Derek Chisora (36-13) Some gatekeepers are tasked with testing prospects and newcomers to a division; others separate the contenders from the pretenders. For the best part of the 2010s, Chisora served as a litmus test for potential heavyweight contenders. Tyson Fury, David Haye, Joseph Parker, Oleksandr Usyk, and Vitali Klitschko are all world champions that have defeated Derek Chisora. Meanwhile, none of the 34 different foes Chisora has vanquished have gone on to earn a title at world level. Even into his 40s, Chisora is filtering out potential champions with his gruelling battling style and high-pressure approach. Mariusz Wach (38-12) Gatekeepers do not enter the sport with hopes of becoming a barometer for other fighters' success. Pole Mariusz Wach had 27 wins in the first seven years of his career, setting up a shot at Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles. Wach took Klitschko the full distance, but there was little arguing with the Ukrainian's unanimous decision victory. Whilst there were attempts to bounce back, Wach found himself stopped by Alexander Povetkin in 2015, shutting down his chances of contending for world honours. There are some notable names out of Wach's 12 losses. Jarrell Miller, Martin Bakole, and Dillian Whyte defeated the Pole towards the end of the last decade, whilst rising British prospects Frazer Clarke and Moses Itauma have been victorious over Wach in the past two years. After harbouring his own ambitions of becoming a world champion, Wach has seen himself become a checkpoint separating hopefuls from contenders in the heavyweight division. George Chuvalo (73-18-2) The notion of a gatekeeper has long existed in the sport of boxing. Canadian legend George Chuvalo shared a ring with many of boxing's most famous names during the 1960s and 1970s. He was twice defeated by Muhammad Ali, whilst George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Floyd Paterson all had to get through the Toronto-born man. A top 10 contender in his own right for many years of his career, Chuvalo would never become world champion – a fate he also denied for other boxers. Contenders such as Jerry Quarry and Doug Jones failed to come through Chuvalo. Kevin Johnson (36-22-2) In a 20-year-long career, Kevin Johnson contested 60 bouts, one of which was for a world title. Just like fellow gatekeepers Derek Chisora and Mariusz Wach, Johnson was given a shot at a Klitschko brother after a lengthy unbeaten start to his career. Vitali Klitschko sent Johnson packing in 2009, defending his WBC title, and whilst Johnson would share the ring with some big names, he would never fight for a strap at the global level again. Coincidentally, Johnson fought both Chisora and Wach – losing to both fighters. Nowadays, the Russian resident Johnson can sometimes be seen on cards in Eastern Europe, Germany, and Russia, losing on points to up-and-coming fighters. Losses to Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz, Daniel Dubois, Martin Bakole, Filip Hrgovic, and Kubrat Pulev highlight that whilst Johnson was outclassed by future world champions, he also could be bypassed by title hopefuls that would prove to fall short of securing the biggest belts. Dorian Darch (12-12-1) Before a boxer can even think about world title fights, they have to get a few wins under their belts. Facing journeymen with losing records early on in a prospect's career is a common occurrence; but at some point the training wheels have to come off. Dorian Darch was Britain's choice to test heavyweights coming through the ranks; Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Hughie Fury, and Dave Allen have all defeated the Welshman. Whilst beating Darch is no indication that a fighter will go on to compete at the top of the heavyweight division, it does serve as a milestone for prospects to pass on their evolution to contenders. Watch Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez's historic night in Riyadh against William Scull exclusively on DAZN PPV. The PPV cost is $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW. Check price in your country here. Watch on any device via the DAZN app, including Smart TV's, smartphones, tablets; streaming devices, games consoles and any device with a web browser.
