There are many ways one can unwind after a gruelling session in the build-up to a potentially career-deciding fight. Some might play round of golf or relax with friends. Not Derek Chisora – that would be far too conventional.
Instead, the veteran heavyweight, who takes on Joseph Parker in an all-or-nothing rematch on Saturday night, has found a new pass time: gate-crashing weddings at the Wortley Hall hotel, where he’s been based during training camp, ‘too keep myself occupied,’ as he says.
The usually London-based Chisora has spent every Monday to Thursday in Rotherham in recent weeks and months, having reunited with trainer Dave Coldwell, who was in the 37-year-old’s corner for his second-round stoppage win over Artur Szpilka in 2019.
Derek Chisora (centre) is pictured gate-crashing a wedding, which has become his new hobby
The heavyweight star insists brides and grooms 'love' his appearances at their parties
The heavyweight, 37, is preparing to face Joseph Parker (left) in their rematch on Saturday
Away from the usual hustle and bustle of the country’s capital, Chisora instead finds himself in South Yorkshire, basking in the surroundings of the truly grand stately home nestled in Sheffield’s surrounding countryside – the words on the hotel’s website, not my own.
Chisora – whose full-time residence is on a farm in north London - is certainly no stranger to a rather unusual training camp activity, having spent his downtime hunting pheasants in the build-up to his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last year. This is just another activity to add to the collection.
Perched comfortably as he explains just how he’s been keeping busy to reporters over Zoom, Chisora said: ‘I’m actually staying at this hotel called Wortley Hall. This is my domain, basically. They have weddings here.'
The heavyweight then momentarily turns away from his screen to ask a couple of nearby staff members just how many weddings they put on each year. ‘This year… 140-odd,’ the response.
Chisora has had some unusual training camp activities in the past, including hunting
‘Maybe 140 and I’ve probably gate-crashed three of those weddings, to keep myself occupied,’ Chisora continues, as the staff members audibly burst out into laughter.
‘Rotherham has been nice, Sheffield has been nice. All I do is train, come back, eat my food and rest, then go training again. It’s going very well.’
For those getting married, and indeed those attending the wedding, a visit from a widely-known heavyweight contender – who has fought the likes of David Haye and Vitali
