Derek Chisora Shelves Retirement,

Names Murat Gassiev As Next Opponent!

(October 7th) Finchley, London’s, Derek “War” Chisora has put retirement on hold and named Murat Gassiev as his next opponent, announcing plans to return to the ring in December in a heavyweight contest that could put the IBA and WBA titles on the line.

Just six months after what was billed as the final fight of his professional career, Chisora has confirmed that the gloves are staying on. The 42-year-old London heavyweight revealed his comeback plans on October 6 during an IBA press conference in Istanbul, where he stated that he intends to face Murat Gassiev in December. Chisora said the event is expected to take place in either London or Manchester, with the final location still to be determined.

“In December it will be me versus Gassiev,” Chisora said. “We are going to decide where, either London or Manchester. We are going to put two belts on the line: I believe the IBA belt and the WBA belt, the one Gassiev holds. WBA regular.”

The announcement represents a dramatic continuation of one of the most enduring careers in modern British heavyweight boxing. Chisora entered his April 4 meeting with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder at The O2 Arena in London with the bout promoted as the 50th and final fight of his career. After 12 punishing rounds, Wilder prevailed by split decision, with two judges scoring the fight 115-111 and 115-113 for the American, while the third judge scored it 115-112 for Chisora.

Despite the retirement narrative surrounding the Wilder bout, Chisora now insists that he never formally closed the door on a return. “I never said I was retired,” he said in Istanbul. “They said it was the last dance. So this is the last dance three.” Chisora added that he has nothing left to prove and simply enjoys competing, reinforcing his determination to extend a professional career that began in February 2007.

Chisora enters the proposed Gassiev showdown with a professional record of 36 wins, 14 losses and 23 victories inside the distance. His 50 professional bouts have taken him through 358 rounds, and his career has included major heavyweight encounters with Vitali Klitschko, Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Joseph Parker, Dillian Whyte, Kubrat Pulev, Joe Joyce, Otto Wallin and Wilder. He made his professional debut on February 17, 2007, stopping István Kecskés in the second round at Wembley Arena.

The Wilder defeat was Chisora’s first fight since his unanimous-decision victory over Otto Wallin in February 2025 and followed three consecutive wins over Wallin, Joe Joyce and Gerald Washington. His April encounter with Wilder became the 50th bout of his career, but rather than marking the conclusion of his time in boxing, it now appears to have become another chapter in the “War” story.

Standing opposite Chisora would be Murat Gassiev, the Russian heavyweight who owns a 33-2 professional record with 26 knockouts and previously held world titles at cruiserweight. Gassiev moved into the heavyweight championship picture by stopping Kubrat Pulev in December 2025 to capture the WBA’s regular heavyweight title, before defending it against Peter Kadiru in July 2026. Following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his heavyweight championships, Gassiev’s position within the WBA’s heavyweight title structure became the subject of further debate.

The championship situation remains fluid. Gassiev has been identified as the WBA’s regular heavyweight champion, while the organization has also sanctioned a separate Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua fight for its vacant “Super” heavyweight title in December. Gassiev has publicly expressed uncertainty over the status of his championship, saying he had not received clear communication from the WBA regarding the situation.

For that reason, while Chisora has stated his intention for the December fight to feature both the IBA belt and Gassiev’s WBA championship, the exact championship configuration should not yet be treated as formally finalized. Chisora’s announcement itself made clear that discussions with promoter Frank Warren and George Warren still need to take place, while the location remains between London and Manchester.

Nevertheless, the proposed matchup would give Chisora another opportunity to challenge for a major heavyweight championship after a career in which he has repeatedly shared the ring with the division’s elite. He previously challenged Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight championship in 2012 and Tyson Fury for the same title in 2022, while also going the distance with Usyk in 2020.

For Gassiev, the proposed meeting presents a very different kind of challenge: a veteran heavyweight with five decades of professional bouts—literally reaching the 50-fight mark—who has built his reputation on pressure, durability and an uncompromising style. For Chisora, it is another chance to compete on the championship stage and potentially add a world title to a résumé that already includes British, Commonwealth, European and international heavyweight honors.

The details still have to be finalized, but Chisora has made his intentions unmistakable. Retirement can wait. “War” is preparing for another fight.