SATURDAY night plays host to Derek Chisora’s final appearance on British soil as he bids farewell to his loyal fans in a tough test against Sweden’s Otto Wallin.
Yet, whilst the focus of the bill, dubbed as ‘The Last Dance’, is all on Chisora, 35-13 (23 KOs), the main event is an opportunity for Wallin to thrust his name back into the mix and re-announce himself as a threat in the division.
Here, Boxing News take a look at the full Queensberry card, where a host of talent is on display before we wave goodbye to the 41-year-old heavyweight veteran.
Walter Fury, 2-0, cousin of Tyson Fury, takes part in one of four bouts that will assumably be on the prelims, but he will do well to stop Joe Hardy, 3-27, who has gone the distance in his 12 outings.
That is before Albanian heavyweight hope Nelson Hysa, 19-0 (17 KOs), takes centre stage, seeking a statement win against unbeaten Macedonian Todorche Cvetkov, 12-0 (9 KOs), in what would be Hysa’s first defence of the WBO European heavyweight strap since claiming the vacant title in a first-round knockout against Thorsten Fuchs in July.
Hysa is yet to fight beyond six rounds during his professional career and will be appearing for the 20th occasion in just 33 months since his debut in May 2022, as the 40-year-old power-puncher continues to fast-track his way toward a world ranking with eye-catching activity.
Meanwhile, Masood Abdulah, 11-0 (7 KOs), has proven himself as a threat to Nathaniel Collins and the EBU featherweight title over the last 18 months, halting solid domestic opponents in Marc Leach and Qais Ashfaq before outpointing the previously undefeated George Stewart for the Commonwealth crown in September.
This weekend, Abdulah attempts a first defence of that belt and challenges for the now-vacant British title against a tough opponent in Manchester’s own Zak Miller, 15-1 (3 KOs), who ran Collins close in a majority-decision defeat back in 2023 that marks the lone blemish on his record.
Both men will likely be in hot pursuit of an in-house clash with Collins down the line, as Abdulah continues his chase of the Scotsman whilst Miller seeks redemption, but first, they meet one another in what looks to be the fight of the night on paper.
Miller is not the only Mancunian involved in a contest for the coveted Lonsdale Belt on Saturday night, as Jack Rafferty, 24-0 (15 KOs), returns in front of his hometown crowd and attempts a first defence of the British super-lightweight title after a career-best knockout win against Henry Turner last time out secured saw him earn the historic marble.
After being moved slowly until recently, Rafferty now seems willing to step up the level of opposition and take over the 140lb domestic scene, but he must first begin his reign against Reece MacMillan, 17-1 (2 KOs), who upset the odds in a shock triumph over Kane Gardner 10 weeks ago.
A statement win against MacMillan could provide Rafferty with the confidence and momentum to take over the division domestically and become the man to beat at the beginning of this new era for the weight in the United Kingdom.
Well-supported Nathan Heaney, 18-1-1 (6 KOs), will also return to the ring after a torrid 2024 saw the Staffordshire fan-favourite go from the verge of a dream world title shot at the stadium of his beloved Stoke City F.C. to a heartbreaking first career defeat against a domestic rival.
Heaney drew with Brad Pauls last March in one of the fights of the year and the pair ran it back four months later, where Pauls was able to score a dramatic final-round knockout to end Heaney’s unbeaten run and British title reign.
Now 13 months without a victory, the 35-year-old middleweight will be keen to get back to winning ways against a capable contender in France’s Sofiane Khati, 17-5 (6 KOs), who defeated Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan as the away fighter the last time he fought outside of his home country.
Finally, Derek Chisora will ring walk for the final time in the United Kingdom as he attempts to register both a third straight win and a first knockout victory since stopping David Price in 2019.
‘Del Boy’ was able to spring the upset against a vulnerable Joe Joyce back in July, but the game Wallin has proven himself to be a tough test in the past and will step through the ropes as the bookies’ favourite on Saturday.
Wallin famously caused Tyson Fury trouble when they collided in 2019, leaving ‘The Gypsy King’ requiring 47 stitches but the awkward southpaw has also proved too crafty for Murat Gassiev since and had established himself as a heavyweight bogeyman of sorts after losing out to Fury.
That was until he was faced with Anthony Joshua in late 2023, who ran through the Swede in a punch-perfect five-round beatdown to end murmurs of Wallin’s below-the-radar title charge.
Consequently, it seems as though the way to trump the scrappy, unorthodox style of Wallin is to take the fight to him, engage in a physical battle and not attempt to outbox him – not that Chisora would attempt to do that anyway.
The front-footed pressure of Chisora and his ability to take a shot and fight through the fire is likely why Wallin was deemed as a beatable opponent for the much-loved cult hero, but Wallin is notoriously hard to look good against and may well end up putting a dampener on Chisora’s send-off.
