Boxing
One last time? Chisora cannot wait to hear his name again at The O2
BUY HERE: Chisora vs. Wilder DAZN PPV - TONIGHT
Once a villain but now a hero, Derek Chisora has loved being a fan favourite during a rollercoaster career.
Tonight, he walks to the ring one last time at London’s O2 Arena — his home from home — as he faces fearsome knockout artist Deontay Wilder.
A 50th pro bout for both men, Chisora has vowed he will retire regardless of the outcome.
Wilder, on the other hand, still has his sights set on winning another world title having previously held the prestigious WBC heavyweight strap.
"He thinks it's just me retiring after this, he's wrong!"
Watch: Chisora makes retirement promise to Wilder (0.42)
The days of throwing tables during press conferences and biting opponents appear to be long gone for Chisora.
But the Finchley slugger, 42, cannot wait to hear his name ring around a familiar venue once again.
And as you would expect, he is relishing his post-fight ritual of tucking into a Five Guys after boxing at the arena for the 11th time.
Speaking exclusively to DAZN News, Del Boy said: “The O2 is beautiful, man. I love it.
“It’s a good feeling to hear my name chanted. They used to boo me.
“I’d walk out to boos and I was like f—k me, they hate me. But I didn’t give a s—t because they were paying to watch me.
“Now, they love me, which is nice. It's a good feeling. I've got the Five Guys CEO coming as well, so that'll be nice.”
Despite claims from the likes of Carl Froch that Wilder is a spent force, a fighter boasting 43 knockouts from 44 victories cannot be underestimated.
Whether it turns out to be a quick night’s work or a 12-round slugfest, Chisora admits it will be an evening of mixed feelings.
He added: “It will be an emotional, stressful night.
“As for Froch, he needs to stop talking c—p and fight John Fury. My money is on Fury [if that fight happens]."
Many boxers find retirement hard to handle and can be lured back into the ring for one final hurrah — or even more.
But Chisora maintains this is the last time we will see him in action.
He said: “I’m done. I thought I'd be done by 25 fights. But the game is so addictive I had to carry on. Now, though, I’m done.
“Make sure you tune in on DAZN pay-per-view. You don't want to miss this — it’s going to be delicious.”
Watch Chisora vs. Wilder only on DAZN
Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder square off this Saturday, April 4, exclusively on DAZN PPV. Buy as a one-off PPV or get this, Wardley vs. Dubois (May 9) and Usyk vs Verhoeven (May 23) PPVs all included with a DAZN Ultimate Tier subscription for £24.99/$44.99 per month.
