Derek Chisora turns 41 today ahead of his scheduled 10-round headliner against heavyweight contender Otto Wallin on February 8 at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
Chisora doesn’t have much time left because he won’t continue to be given the well-paying headliner gigs he’s routinely offered in the UK if the losses keep piling on. British fans won’t want to waste their money traveling to see a painfully slow Chisora being treated as a punching bag by another over-the-hill journeyman who is 10+ years past his prime.
A Fan Favorite
Fans want Chisora to retire because he’s slow, easy to hit, and soaks up punishment in his fights. They don’t want fighters to use him as a punching bag. Even though Chisora has been selective in the opportunities he has faced in recent years, his face-forward fighting style still punishes him heavily.
The 17-year pro Chisora has kept his career going by beating several 40+-year-old fighters recently against these guys: Joe Joyce, Gerald Washington, and Kubrat Pulev. Chisora’s victory over Pulev was controversial in the eyes of fans, but oh well, he still got it. The fight was staged in London.
It’s unbelievable that Chisora (35-13, 23 KOs) is still headlining with his record, but his fans are still willing to see him in large numbers and don’t mind that he gets beaten now and then. It’s entertainment.
Wallin (27-2, 15 KOs) is a real problem for Chisora, and the big Swede will likely be too much for him. If Chisora can go the distance, it would be a moral victory.
Chisora is coming off a surprise 10-round unanimous decision win over contender Joe Joyce on July 27th. That’s a guy that Chisora probably wouldn’t have beaten if he hadn’t been softened up by Zhilei Zhang first. Joyce was knocked out twice by him.
