Derek Chisora faces the penultimate fight of his career on Saturday (Image: Getty)
Derek Chisora insists that diving into the rave scene will keep him busy after retirement. At 41, Chisora is preparing for what he declares will be his penultimate fight, facing Sweden’s Otto Wallin at Co-Op Live in Manchester tomorrow.
Just two bouts shy of a half-century, Chisora looks back on an erratic yet memorable career—marked by significant triumphs and numerous defeats—having transformed his public image from divisive to widely respected within the British boxing circle.
The prospect of retiring poses more than just a financial shift – the loss of crowd admiration is particularly poignant for Chisora, echoing a sentiment many athletes confront, sometimes leading to ill-fated comebacks or personal struggles. Asked how he will avoid falling into those traps while trying to replace the buzz of elite sport, Chisora quipped: “Because they don’t rave.
“That’s why. They don’t do MDMA. I do MDMA. If there is a rave happening I’m going.”
“If there’s a rave in my camp, I put it in my diary and I say, ‘Please don’t call me or find me because you know where I am.”
“They say, ‘You can’t go! ’ and I say, Guess what I’m doing, I’m going!'”
Despite his pro-rave stance, Chisora vows to embrace another vital role after leaving the sport—devoting himself to fatherhood. “I’m going to be a dad for a year,” he promises. “Hang out with my kids and my wife for a year. See what happens.”