Derek Chisora: ‘Emotional’ Chisora ready for UK send-off against Otto Wallin

Chisora has faced the biggest names in the heavyweight division since making his debut in 2007.

He has lost to former world champion Tyson Fury on three occasions and Dillian Whyte and Parker twice, and has also come up short against Vitali Klitschko and Oleksandr Usyk.

Chisora entered Thursday’s news conference at Manchester’s Edwardian Hotel – the same venue where he threw a table at Whyte nine years ago – wearing a cowboy hat with a speaker playing ‘American Remains’ by country supergroup the Highwaymen, and he played Johnny Cash’s ‘(Ghost) Riders In The Sky’ as the two rivals faced off.

Despite his popularity, Chisora has often been a controversial figure in boxing. The former British and Commonwealth champion was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend in 2010 but was spared jail and handed a 12-week sentence suspended for two years.

He adopted a jovial approach to proceedings on Thursday, poking fun at members of the media who have “written rubbish” about him during his career, and attempted to draw a response from a cool and collected Wallin.

“Otto Wallin can play poker, he has a good poker face. I’ve sat here 49 times and they all say the same thing,” Chisora said.

“The only fighter who stood toe-to-toe was Dillian [Whyte], Otto won’t do that. We chose a smaller ring so he can’t run.”

Wallin – whose two career defeats both came against British opponents – looked happy to take a backseat on Thursday.

The 34-year-old Swede inflicted a nasty cut above the eye of Fury when they met in 2019 but ultimately lost via unanimous decision. His other loss came at the hands of Joshua in December 2023.

“I like Derek, he’s a good talker. He’s probably a better talker than me. He can keep talking and I’ll do my talking in the ring,” Wallin added.

“I’m going to win by all means necessary.

“He has a lot of pressure, it’s supposed to be his last fight in the UK at a big arena. I try not to put pressure on myself.”