Derek Chisora announces December return after shelving retirement plans

Derek Chisora says he intends to return to the ring in December, extending a career that appeared set to end after his 50th professional fight. The 42-year-old British heavyweight outlined his plans at a news conference on Tuesday, according to BBC Sport. His April defeat by Deontay Wilder had been promoted as his final appearance.

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Uncrowned, reporting through Yahoo Sports, said Chisora and International Boxing Association president Umar Kremlev announced plans for a bout in the United Kingdom under the IBA banner. The news conference took place in Istanbul. An exact date, venue and opponent were not immediately confirmed, so the announcement establishes his intention to continue rather than a fully settled fight arrangement.

Chisora identified Murat Gassiev as the opponent he wanted to face, with London and Manchester discussed as possible locations. BBC Sport reported that he expected two belts to be involved, including an IBA belt and the title held by Gassiev. Those comments remain Chisora's account of the proposed contest, not confirmation of the final championship terms or venue.

Gassiev has recently competed on IBA events. Uncrowned reported that he won the WBA World heavyweight title by stopping Kubrat Pulev in the sixth round last December and defended it against Peter Kadiru in July. BBC Sport said Gassiev was upgraded to the WBA's super champion in June after Oleksandr Usyk relinquished that belt, but reported that Gassiev himself expressed uncertainty on Tuesday about his current championship status.

The IBA's involvement places the planned return within its professional boxing programme. BBC Sport noted that the International Olympic Committee stripped the organisation of its standing as amateur boxing's governing body in 2023. Kremlev said at the Istanbul event that the organisation had promised Chisora a bout in England, according to Uncrowned's report, while Chisora publicly praised its work staging boxing events.

Chisora has won 36 of his 50 professional contests and made his professional debut in 2007, according to the BBC. Defending his decision to continue, he said he had never personally announced his retirement despite the farewell billing. His next appearance would therefore extend his record beyond the milestone previously presented as the endpoint of his career.