Latest news with #DerekChisora
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
British boxing great lines up fight to become Reform Mayor of London after friendship with Nigel Farage
DEREK Chisora is eyeing up his toughest fight yet - to become a Reform UK mayor. The British heavyweight is being urged by pals to run to be London Mayor. 2 2 The boxing star, 41, is close pals with Nigel Farage and campaigned for Brexit. Friends reckon he could floor Labour in the capital. If he entered the fray for City Hall, he would be the second boxer to stand for Reform. Olympic medalist Luke Campbell was elected Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire earlier this year. A source close to Chisora told The Sun on Sunday: 'Derek has been a loyal supporter of Nigel for years and they are known to attend social events together. Nigel is always ringside at his fights. 'Friends of Derek are urging him to ' do a Luke' and take on Labour at the next London election. 'He has real personality and stands a good chance of winning if the Reform surge continues.' Chisora is just one bout short of his 50th fight - and then is expected to hang up his boxing gloves. He has previously spoken of his friendship with Nigel Farage, saying: 'I don't know anything about politics, but I think we have to put British people first. "I became friends with Nigel and Nick Candy and campaigned for Brexit.' But Chisora faces a battle to be picked by Reform to be their candidate for London Mayor. Fellow Reform backer Celebrity SAS hardman Ant Middleton has said he wants the job. Sadiq Khan is expected to step down as Labour London Mayor before the next election in 2028. Possible contenders to replace him as Labour candidate include actor Idris Elba, Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and Labour MP Dawn Butler.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Derek Chisora considers wading into the political ring with a run at London Mayor for Reform UK
DEREK Chisora is eyeing up his toughest fight yet - to become a Reform UK mayor. The British heavyweight is being urged by pals to run to be London Mayor. 2 The boxing star, 41, is close pals with Nigel Farage and campaigned for Brexit. Friends reckon he could floor Labour in the capital. If he entered the fray for City Hall, he would be the second boxer to stand for Reform. Olympic medalist Luke Campbell was elected Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire earlier this year. A source close to Chisora told The Sun on Sunday: 'Derek has been a loyal supporter of Nigel for years and they are known to attend social events together. Nigel is always ringside at his fights. 'Friends of Derek are urging him to ' do a Luke' and take on Labour at the next London election. 'He has real personality and stands a good chance of winning if the Reform surge continues.' Chisora is just one bout short of his 50th fight - and then is expected to hang up his boxing gloves. He has previously spoken of his friendship with Nigel Farage, saying: 'I don't know anything about politics, but I think we have to put British people first. "I became friends with Nigel and Nick Candy and campaigned for Brexit.' But Chisora faces a battle to be picked by Reform to be their candidate for London Mayor. 2 Fellow Reform backer Celebrity SAS hardman Ant Middleton has said he wants the job. Sadiq Khan is expected to step down as Labour London Mayor before the next election in 2028.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bakole-Ajagba: Will either fighter join the ranks of great gatekeepers in the heavyweight division?
You never know how well a fighter will deal with a proper punch until they hear the bell for the first time. Likewise, you never know how far they can go until they have been properly tested. Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba go head-to-head on the undercard of Canelo-Scull this Saturday, May 3, with both fighters in top-10 contention in the IBF's rankings. While a win would further either boxer's career, a loss could spell an end to their hopes of becoming world champions. As we have seen over the years, boxers unable to win a world title often take up a role of gatekeeper and up becoming a testing ground for other fighters. With the prospect of another being formed this weekend, we have taken a look at some of the most notable gatekeepers over the years in the heavyweight division. Derek Chisora (36-13) Some gatekeepers are tasked with testing prospects and newcomers to a division; others separate the contenders from the pretenders. For the best part of the 2010s, Chisora served as a litmus test for potential heavyweight contenders. Tyson Fury, David Haye, Joseph Parker, Oleksandr Usyk, and Vitali Klitschko are all world champions that have defeated Derek Chisora. Meanwhile, none of the 34 different foes Chisora has vanquished have gone on to earn a title at world level. Even into his 40s, Chisora is filtering out potential champions with his gruelling battling style and high-pressure approach. Mariusz Wach (38-12) Gatekeepers do not enter the sport with hopes of becoming a barometer for other fighters' success. Pole Mariusz Wach had 27 wins in the first seven years of his career, setting up a shot at Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles. Wach took Klitschko the full distance, but there was little arguing with the Ukrainian's unanimous decision victory. Whilst there were attempts to bounce back, Wach found himself stopped by Alexander Povetkin in 2015, shutting down his chances of contending for world honours. There are some notable names out of Wach's 12 losses. Jarrell Miller, Martin Bakole, and Dillian Whyte defeated the Pole towards the end of the last decade, whilst rising British prospects Frazer Clarke and Moses Itauma have been victorious over Wach in the past two years. After harbouring his own ambitions of becoming a world champion, Wach has seen himself become a checkpoint separating hopefuls from contenders in the heavyweight division. George Chuvalo (73-18-2) The notion of a gatekeeper has long existed in the sport of boxing. Canadian legend George Chuvalo shared a ring with many of boxing's most famous names during the 1960s and 1970s. He was twice defeated by Muhammad Ali, whilst George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Floyd Paterson all had to get through the Toronto-born man. A top 10 contender in his own right for many years of his career, Chuvalo would never become world champion – a fate he also denied for other boxers. Contenders such as Jerry Quarry and Doug Jones failed to come through Chuvalo. Kevin Johnson (36-22-2) In a 20-year-long career, Kevin Johnson contested 60 bouts, one of which was for a world title. Just like fellow gatekeepers Derek Chisora and Mariusz Wach, Johnson was given a shot at a Klitschko brother after a lengthy unbeaten start to his career. Vitali Klitschko sent Johnson packing in 2009, defending his WBC title, and whilst Johnson would share the ring with some big names, he would never fight for a strap at the global level again. Coincidentally, Johnson fought both Chisora and Wach – losing to both fighters. Nowadays, the Russian resident Johnson can sometimes be seen on cards in Eastern Europe, Germany, and Russia, losing on points to up-and-coming fighters. Losses to Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz, Daniel Dubois, Martin Bakole, Filip Hrgovic, and Kubrat Pulev highlight that whilst Johnson was outclassed by future world champions, he also could be bypassed by title hopefuls that would prove to fall short of securing the biggest belts. Dorian Darch (12-12-1) Before a boxer can even think about world title fights, they have to get a few wins under their belts. Facing journeymen with losing records early on in a prospect's career is a common occurrence; but at some point the training wheels have to come off. Dorian Darch was Britain's choice to test heavyweights coming through the ranks; Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Hughie Fury, and Dave Allen have all defeated the Welshman. Whilst beating Darch is no indication that a fighter will go on to compete at the top of the heavyweight division, it does serve as a milestone for prospects to pass on their evolution to contenders. Watch Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez's historic night in Riyadh against William Scull exclusively on DAZN PPV. The PPV cost is $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW. Check price in your country here. Watch on any device via the DAZN app, including Smart TV's, smartphones, tablets; streaming devices, games consoles and any device with a web browser.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Dillian Whyte blasts Derek Chisora and says he is ready to fight him again
Dillian Whyte has said he would love to fight rival Derek Chisora again, calling his fellow heavyweight contender a 'scumbag'. Whyte's remarks came in an interview posted on Queensberry Promotion's YouTube channel. The former heavyweight-title challenger was speaking at the Portman Road football ground, where on 7 June Fabio Wardley will face Justis Huni. Whyte is also scheduled to fight on the card, although his opponent is yet to be named. Despite the lack of a named opponent, Whyte was asked whether his future plans included fighting former opponent Derek Chisora. The pair have previously fought, in 2016 and 2018, in fights both won by Whyte. The first fight ended in a split-decision victory for Whyte over twelve rounds, but the return saw Chisora lose by eleventh-round knockout. Watch over 150 boxing events a year live on DAZN - subscribe now Whyte was categorical in his thoughts on Chisora. He said: 'I think people love him because he's unpredictable and a bit controversial.' Pushed a litltle, Whyte added: 'Derek's a prick, because I'm respectful and I respect the warrior code. When we fought, we had good fights. I've already shown him respect, even when I beat him.' The fighter went on to accuse Chisora of doing 'unethical stuff', saying that the perennial contender had tried to 'kick [me] when I was down'. 'He's a scumbag,' he concluded. 'Derek Chisora is sub-human and he's a scumbag. Because of that, I'd really love to fight him and smash his face in again. But he doesn't want to fight; he's a pussy.' When asked about his plans, Whyte said that he had been living and training in Portugal, but that he was looking forward to returning to the ring, saying that he loved to fight. Whyte had been scheduled to meet Joe Joyce earlier this year, but that fight was cancelled when he withdrew following an injury. Joyce then fought Filip Hrgovic, who outpointed him over ten rounds. At thirty-seven years old, Whyte was also asked about how long he intended to remain active for. He said: 'You know what? I sort of drifted into the wilderness at one stage because things weren't going right and the phone wasn't ringing. But then I rekindled some relationship with Frank Warren and Queensberry.' He added: 'It rekindled that fire in me and that nastiness and that bastard in me again. I had started stepping away from boxing, doing the family guy stuff. When you have kids, you become a nicer person automatically. And certain guys are taking the piss, and I was like, 'No, he's taking the piss,''
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tyson Fury and wife Paris let loose as they party with Derek Chisora at intimate 50 Cent gig in Monaco
Tyson Fury and his wife Paris partied with Derek Chisora at 50 Cent's intimate gig in Monaco on Monday evening. The former professional boxer, 36, and his wife, 35, looked in great spirits as they joined fellow boxer Derek, 41, on the dancefloor as the rapper, 41, sent the audience wild with a sensational performance of his number one hit, In Da Club. Tyson cut a quirky figure for the rare outing, wearing a purple and red silk shirt from Versace as he danced alongside his wife and Derek. Meanwhile, Derek sported a beige bomber jacket and a casual black T-shirt as he filmed the trio getting their groove on. After the show, Tyson ensured to get several selfies with 50 Cent and was seen engaging in a chat with the rapper as he departed the venue. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. In one snap shared to Instagram, Paris looked sensational in a sparkly gold fringe dress as she beamed alongside her husband and 50 Cent. The trio's rare outing may come as a surprise to fans considering Tyson and Derek's relationship, which has been described as a 'love-hate' dynamic. While they've fought each other three times and previously teased a trilogy, their friendship has often been tested, and Tyson revealed in 2022 that he fell out with Derek after his heavyweight pal backed Dillian Whyte to beat him in a fight. Tyson knocked Dillian, 37, out in devastating fashion at Wembley Stadium in 2022, finishing the contest with a sixth-round uppercut. However, in the days leading up to the bout, Derek surprisingly picked underdog Dillian to beat the WBC champion. Del Boy and The Gypsy King had become good friends after their two fights in 2011 and 2014 - both of which were won by Tyson. However, ahead of their third fight in 2022, Tyson claimed the pair had fallen out. Speaking in his autobiography, he said: 'Now I'm due to fight Derek Chisora on December 3 — having already beaten him twice. Tyson cut a quirky figure for the rare outing, wearing a purple and red silk shirt from Versace as he danced alongside his wife and Derek He continued: 'Chisora and I used to be pals but when it came to my Wembley showdown against Dillian Whyte, Chisora tipped the other bloke to knock me out. 'I couldn't get my head around that. How can you claim to be someone's friend and then back another fighter to send him to the canvas? 'I really had no idea what was eating him at the time. Perhaps it was jealousy.' Tyson is currently making the most of his retirement from boxing as he whisked his wife Paris off on a luxurious European trip. The couple kicked off their holiday with a stay in Milan and Lake Como and have since moved on to Monaco and the South of France. However, Tyson has taken time away from their fun-filled getaway to address rumours he could be making a return to the boxing ring. In a video, the he announced: 'Good morning people, a little view for you from the balcony. 'I hear a lot of talk that the Gypsy King is returning to boxing and I've got a question to ask: For what? 'What would I return for? More boxing belts? Won 22 of them. 'I've been rumped and that's it, fair play to them they've their use with me. I'm happy contented with what I've done, what I've achieved, what I've accomplished. I've been around the world and back again. 'And here we are, this is what retirement looks like for me. I'm retired and I'm in no rush to come back to boxing - I've got nothing to prove to anybody and nothing to return for. God bless everybody!' Tyson's last outing in the ring came in December when he suffered a second successive defeat to Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk. The following month, he took to social media to announce his official retirement from the sport. But he has since shared videos of him back in training, with fans wondering whether they may one day get to see the much anticipated Fury vs Anthony Joshua bout. Tyson however, has continually denied there could be a possible return to the ring - with the 36-year-old seemingly happy in retirement.
