Derek Chisora won't retire after all: December return set, WBA champ Murat Gassiev likely opponent
Boxer Derek Chisora has announced he is coming out of retirement to fight in December under the IBA banner. He is currently targeting a bout against WBA champion Murat Gassiev in the UK.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing influence of the IBA in professional boxing and the trend of veteran athletes returning to the sport despite previous retirement announcements.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Derek Chisora's last dance wasn't his final fight after all.
Chisora was previously announced to be retiring after his 50th fight with Deontay Wilder this past April in London . Chisora and IBA president Umar Kremlev, however, announced Tuesday that the Brit will return to the ring under the IBA banner in December in the UK.
Although an exact date, venue and opponent were not immediately confirmed, Chisora said at the press conference in Istanbul that he hopes to have WBA champion Murat Gassiev in the opposite corner in London or Manchester.
Gassiev fights under the IBA banner. He captured the WBA (World) title with a come-from-behind sixth-round knockout of Kubrat Pulev this past December and defended it against Peter Kadiru in July .
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