Daily Times

LONDON: British heavyweight Derek Chisora and Kubrat Pulev will meet in a rematch at The O2 Arena on 9 July — over six years on from their first meeting. Chisora, 38, lost to the 41-year-old Bulgarian on split decision in 2016. The Londoner has won 32 and lost 12 since turning professional in 2007, with his most recent defeat coming to Joseph Parker in December. “I’m delighted to get this fight over the line,” Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn said. “Initially we worked on some other opponents for Derek, but this fight came out of nowhere a few days ago and I absolutely love it. I think the strapline, ‘Total Carnage’, is absolutely perfect for this fight, in terms of the build-up and in terms of the fight itself.” Pulev, a two-time world title challenger, has won 29 bouts and lost two. He edged a points win when the two men fought for the European heavyweight title in Hamburg. He was knocked out by Briton Anthony Joshua in 2020, a second career defeat, before returning to winning ways against American Jerry Forest in May. Despite the number of losses on his record, Chisora has become a fan favourite in recent years because of his aggressive, come-forward style inside the ring and an often unpredictable persona outside of it. But he is coming off three consecutive losses, to Oleksandr Usyk in 2020 followed by back-to-back defeats to Parker. Hearn said defeat for either fighter could result in retirement. “Both men have been long-standing fixtures of the world heavyweight division and it’s all or nothing at The O2 for both, as defeat could lead to the end of the road,” he said.