Chilemba doesn’t regret facing Russian
South Africa-based Malawian boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba says he does not regret his recent change of mind to come out of retirement.
The former super middleweight world champion’s hopes of bouncing back from retirement were shattered cruelly and clinically on Friday night by Russian boxer Alexei Papin, who knocked him out in the second round of their scheduled eight-round cruiserweight non-title bout in Moscow.
In an interview from his Johannesburg base, the 37-year-old said: “I guess when I initially announced my retirement, I had not fully made up my mind, I was sort of undecided.
“I just needed that one more fight for my soul to rest. I am more than happy that I took it up regardless of the outcome. It gives me satisfaction that I can now say goodbye to fighting in peace.”
He reiterated that he won’t be bouncing back in the ring.
“The message that came out very clearly from my last bout was that my time is up. There is time for everything and that’s the reality I have to accept,” said Chilemba whose record stands at 27 wins, 10 losses and three draws.
“Age is no longer on my side, I am also plagued by injuries.”
He said he now plans to go full-throttle into boxing promotion.
“Apart from rebuilding my gym to continue training boxers, I am planning to go into promotion,” said Chilemba
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board president Lonzoe ‘Defector’ Zimba said it is pleasing to hear that Chilemba won’t change his mind again.
He said: “It’s good that he now wants to switch to promotion and we promise to give him all the support.
“I believe that when he first announced his retirement, he had not fully made up his mind, but now he seems to have accepted the reality that it is time to take a bow.”
Chilemba turned professional in 2005 in South Africa and won the world title five years later after defeating Australian Micheil Boiling.
