Tony Bellew won't fight Derek Chisora. The retired boxer and current pundit has turned down a comeback bout against his longtime friend, putting their relationship above a potential payday.
Bellew hung up his gloves in 2018 after a knockout loss to Oleksandr Usyk. Since then, he's stayed busy as an outspoken voice in boxing. But rumors of a return to the ring have popped up now and then.
There was talk about Bellew facing one of the Paul brothers - Jake or Logan. The idea of a big purse for what he might have seen as an easy win seemed tempting. He also considered going for the WBC Bridgerweight World Title, a new division between cruiserweight and heavyweight with a 224-pound limit. But when potential opponent Lukasz Rozanski chose to fight Lawrence Okolie instead, that plan fizzled out.
Recently, Derek Chisora called out Bellew after beating Joe Joyce. Chisora wants to reach 50 fights before retiring, and he saw Bellew as a perfect opponent for number 49 in Manchester.
In an interview with Instant Casino, Bellew explained why he won't take the fight:
"Of course he's serious. He's been saying to me for years, 'we are fighting for my last fight, my 50th fight'. Me and Derek go back 20 years. Great mates. We're really good mates. We're family, our families are close and friends. He was at my wedding, he and his wife were on our table."
Bellew and Chisora's friendship runs deep. They've known each other for two decades, and Chisora was even a guest at Bellew's wedding. After Chisora's recent fight with Joyce, Bellew called to check on him.
The former world champion made his final decision clear:
"Me putting 10 ounce gloves on and hitting Derek Chisora would not end well. It would not end well."
Bellew's concern for Chisora's well-being and their strong friendship trumped any desire to return to the ring. Now, with 48 fights under his belt, Chisora will need to find two more opponents to reach his goal of 50 before calling it a career.