For years, plenty of people have been asking the question – will Derek Chisora now retire? After each of his tough, at times brutal fights, after each of the extremely likeable Chisora’s defeats, the retirement call has been heard. Yet Chisora, “War” as he is known, repeatedly said “f**k that” and kept going to war in the ring. But now, surely, after the sickening to watch, we all saw it coming hammering the soon to be 39 year old took from Tyson Fury, Chisora will at last call it quits (this something he would never do during a fight).
Chisora has been a pro for almost 16 long years, he has fought to a 33-13(23) record, and Chisora has been in too many hard, gruelling, damaging fights to keep track of. Chisora has fought some 315 rounds, taking God knows how many punches to the head along the way. Chisora has shown immense bravery and raw courage during his long career, yet he has done enough. Chisora has taken enough.
Derek Chisora does not like being told what to do, nor does he like being singled out for retirement (let’s face it, there are, and have always been plenty of other fighters who fought on far longer than they should have done) – and as such, “Del Boy” will make up his own mind. But after witnessing last night’s ever so deservedly maligned fight, after seeing Chisora’s face get battered, after seeing Chisora gulping in air as soon as the fourth and fifth rounds, after seeing Chisora’s legs dip after taking shot after shot, who with a conscience could possibly enjoy seeing Chisora get hit again, as he surely will if he fights again?
Chisora is like a piece of iron that has been compromised due to it being hit, and hit, and hit, and hit again and again. How long will it be before Chisora is permanently damaged by fighting on, if he has not been already (and we all hope Chisora will be one of the lucky ones)?
There is already talk of what Chisora could do next, who he could fight next. “He’s still a big name,” these people have said. “Chisora has only lost to the best and he can still beat Top-15 guys,” these people have said. Nobody ever said boxing is the most morally clean sport in the world or that it has in its orbit the most humanitarian of individuals. Yet anyone who urges Chisora on as far as fighting again, or even suggests that he fights again, is deserving of a villainous tag all of their own.
Agree or disagree?
Of course, it will be Chisora’s choice and his alone. As it has been so many times already.