Derek Chisora has claimed he has "officially retired" from boxing despite insisting he would be willing to step in the ring with Tyson Fury.
'WAR' has not fought since defeating Kubrat Pulev in a heavyweight rematch earlier this year, but has been linked with a series of bouts including against WBC champion Fury. Fans and fighters in the sport have called for Chisora to retire, but the heavyweight veteran has refused to give in and promoter Eddie Hearn has hinted that his next fight will take place later this year.
This weekend, Chisora attended Joe Joyce's statement KO victory over Joseph Parker in Manchester as he eyed up his heavyweight competition. However, after the fight had ended, Chisora spoke to BT Sport and replied "I'm retired" when asked if he would make a return to the ring any time soon.
Despite the Finchley-born heavyweight's claim, it came just minutes after a heated exchange with former two-time rival Fury in which he had promised to replace Anthony Joshua if he was unable to fulfil their pending December 3 date. "You said come to Manchester and I’ll fight you bare knuckle and you were talking s***. I’m here," he said. Fury replied: "Why didn’t you sign the contract then?” Chisora then added: "Do you want to fight? I will pay your wages."
Fury then finished the exchange: "If your man don’t fight, I will definitely fight you. He won’t fight because he’s a s***house. He’s got his contract, I tossed him a bone." Fury is set to return after making a retirement claim of his own, where he has offered Joshua a huge clash later this year at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
The 'Gypsy King' is waiting for Joshua to sign off the bout, which he had suggested earlier this year would be a trilogy with Chisora but a fight failed to materialise. His former foe had rejected an offer from Fury due to financial reasons and allegedly demanded an increase on his suggested £2 million fight purse to arrange the clash officially.
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After 45 fights as a professional including 12 defeats, Chisora remains one of the most popular fighters in the heavyweight division and has still been involved in many entertaining displays including his rematch with Parker last year. And after his last victory, Chisora revealed he was open to fighting anybody including Wilder providing he continues to earn lucrative purses.
"I don't know [how it would go in a fight with Wilder], we'll see. I can't picture it yet until he is sitting next to him," Chisora said of a potential fight with Wilder next. "I will fight anybody. It just depends what money we are getting paid - that is it. It is about money, it is not about anything else. I don't want an easy fight. I'm on my way out. Win or lose I just want to fight the best."
