Derek Chisora Ready for a Final Flourish in Boxing

Veteran heavyweight boxer Derek Chisora says he has come to terms with the fact that his professional fighting career is nearing its end.

The 40-year-old is scheduled to meet Otto Wallin at Co-op Live in Manchester on February 8 in a bout that will attract a sizeable audience on live-streaming platforms.

Fans in overseas jurisdictions will be able to utilise ExpressVPN software to access the broadcast of a fight which promises to be hugely entertaining.

Derek Chisora Memorable Boxing Career

Derek Chisora Reflects Before Otto Wallin

Since making his professional debut at Wembley Arena in February 2007, the Zimbabwean-British boxer has delivered numerous memorable moments in the sport.

Chisora has won British, Commonwealth and European titles, but has twice come up short in world title fights against Vitali Klitschko (2012) and Tyson Fury (2022).

Despite never reaching the pinnacle of his chosen profession, Chisora says he is proud of the longevity he has enjoyed in an extremely brutal sport.

“There are just so many memories, man,” Chisora told Boxing News. “It’s funny because it’s the ones when you come back home and you can’t eat food for a couple of days because you’ve got cuts in your mouth. You think ‘I can’t do this anymore’.

“Or one time I finished a fight and my daughter said, ‘you’re not retiring, are you?’ I said ‘no I’m not’ and she’s like ‘yesss!’ I can see the joy in her eyes. But I have enjoyed every moment of it, the good, the bad, every moment of it.”

What’s Next After Otto Wallin?

If Chisora safely navigates his upcoming contest against Wallin, attention will immediately switch to the 50th and final fight of his career later this year.

He was due to face Jarrell Miller rather than Wallin in Manchester, and he is a potential opponent if contractual and promotional difficulties can be resolved.

However, a more likely option is a meeting with Francis Ngannou. The UFC star was defeated by Fury and Anthony Joshua in his first two forays in boxing and would relish the chance to meet Chisora.

Chisora has already told promoter Frank Warren that facing Ngannou in Africa would be his ideal swansong in boxing. Warren is open to the idea but says he must get past Wallin first. 

“Derek has been in some big fights with us – some really, really big ones,” Warren said. “He’s fought Fury, he’s fought Vitali Klitschko, and I thought he gave him his toughest fight since Lennox Lewis.

“Derek can’t be in a bad fight. Think about it. When have you seen him in a boring fight? He’s brave and gives everything. He will have to do it again for this one and he’s forty-one years of age in December.

“His ambition is to get to fifty fights and to do that he has to win this one. You want to get to fifty? You’ve got to win number forty-nine.”

Chisora vs Wallin Full Fight Card

• Derek Chisora vs. Otto Wallin, 12 rounds, heavyweights
• Willy Hutchinson vs. Zach Parker, 12 rounds, light heavyweights
• Nathan Heaney vs. Sofiane Khati, 10 rounds, middleweights
• Jack Rafferty vs. Reece MacMillan, 12 rounds, for Rafferty’s British and Commonwealth super lightweight titles
• Masood Abdulah vs. Zak Miller, 12 rounds, for Abdulah’s Commonwealth featherweight title
• Nelson Hysa vs. Todorche Cvetkov, 10 rounds, heavyweights
• Walter Fury vs. Joe Hardy, 4 rounds, middleweights
• Joe Cooper vs. Artjom Spatar, 4 rounds, middleweights
• Lewis Williams vs. Cristian Uwaka, 4 rounds, heavyweights
• Leighton Birchall vs. Stephen Jackson, 4 rounds, super bantamweights
• Jermaine Dhliwayo vs. Mark Butler, 4 rounds, super featherweights