South Africa-based celebrated Malawian boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba says he is planning to risk his injured rib by taking to the ring for the last time.
The 38-year-old former super middleweight world champion announced his retirement last year, but in an interview from his Johannesburg base yesterday, he said he is being “tempted to fight one more time”.
Said: Chilemba “I fought with a cracked rib for 15 years, but over the years it has gotten worse. Nevertheless, I am seriously contemplating having one more fight though I know it would be a big risk.
“I was supposed to have the bout in Canada two weeks ago, but it was cancelled at the eleventh hour.
“I am still training by having skipping, sparring and physical sessions with my trainer as I await the way forward.
“My heart is not yet 100 percent for the fight, but I will see.”
The former super-middleweight, World Boxing Organisation Africa, World Boxing Council International, ABU and North American Boxing Federation light-heavyweight titlist, boasts 21 wins, 10 losses and three draws.
Chilemba said he is supposed to undergo surgery on his rib, “and that is why I have been thinking of having one more before I go under the knife because if I go for the surgery first, it means I will have to wait for almost a year to recover and by then I will be 40, which does not augur well with me”.
He was recently quoted by South African daily, nrewspaper The Sowetan as having said: “I continued fighting with it [injured rib] and every time I got in there I felt severe pains.
“I had to think of how to defend that injured side. I am losing eyesight, my elbow at some point was so sore that it would not allow me to move my arm.”
Asked if he has any career regrets, the boxer said: “Look, there are no regrets. I had a good career with ups and downs, I appreciated every moment I went through, made some good money although our hands as fighters have holes and that includes going in and out of courts.”
Chilemba had a number of bouts with high-profile boxer, including Thomas Oosthuizen, Tony Bellew (retired former WBC cruiserweight champion) and former WBA, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev (twice each) and Dmitry Bivol (current WBA and IBO light-heavyweight champion).
His last fight was a second round knockout defeat to Russian Alexei Papin, which was only his second technical knockout defeat.
In an interview, Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board president Lonzoe Defector Zimba advised Chilemba to make a decision that will be good for his health.
“If he feels he can take a gamble, then well and good, but he certainly needs to take extra caution,” he said.
