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Two big-time bouts are being added to the boxing schedule for early 2025.
Derek Chisora and Jarrell Miller, two heavyweights who rarely fail to entertain inside and outside of the ring, are in the midst of finalizing a Feb. 8 clash in Manchester, England, while IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is officially set to make the second defense of his title against mandatory challenger Huseyin Cinkara on Jan. 8 at the Gold Coast Convention Centre in Queensland, Australia.
Dan Rafael was first to report the news of Chisora vs. Miller, which is expected to be promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
Chisora (35-13, 23 KOs) upset Joe Joyce in July to keep his career alive amid numerous calls for him to retire. The British veteran has vowed to hang up his gloves after 50 fights, which means his contest with Miller could serve as the penultimate bout of the longtime contender’s in-ring run.
Miller (26-1-2, 22 KOs) was unlucky to walk away with a draw in his August fight with Andy Ruiz Jr. on the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov undercard — a bout many observers felt Miller won. The American has been banned for performance-enhancing drug use on three separate occasions, the most high-profile of which scuppered his mega-fight with Anthony Joshua in 2019. Nonetheless, a win over Chisora could set up many opportunities for Miller in the heavyweight division, the most lucrative of which could be a re-booked bout with Joshua due to the acrimonious history between the pair.
Chisora has previously challenged for world titles on two occasions, and a win on Feb. 8 could propel him toward a third shot at heavyweight gold.
Opetaia vs. Cinkara is set to be promoted by Matchroom Boxing, Tasman Fighters and Goldstar Promotions, and stream live on DAZN worldwide.
Opetaia (26-0, 20 KOs) is generally considered the No. 1 cruiserweight in the world. He first won the IBF belt with an upset of Mairis Briedis in 2022 at the same venue as his upcoming bout. The Australian was leading heavily at the halfway point against Briedis but had to overcome a broken jaw to win a decision.
Opetaia then signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and spectacularly knocked out Jordan Thompson in September 2023. The impressive performance caught the eye of Turki Alalshikh, who organizes all of Saudi Arabia’s “Riyadh Season” boxing cards. Opetaia has since fought three times on “Riyadh Season” shows, knocking out Ellis Zorro in the opening round this past December, taking a wide decision in a rematch with Briedis in May to recapture the IBF strap he vacated, then easily stopping Jack Massey in the sixth round on October’s Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol undercard.
Now the Australian has been handed an IBF mandatory obligation against the little known Cinkara.
Cinkara (22-0, 18 KOs) became the IBF mandatory in April by winning an eliminator via second-round stoppage over Armend Xhoxhaj. The 39-year-old has stayed unbeaten for eight years but doesn’t have many other recognizable names on his résumé.
While some observers have expressed disappointment by the IBF’s insistence on Opetaia vs. Cinkara, citing a long list of underwhelming mandatory challengers ordered by the sanctioning body, the bout nonetheless allows Opetaia to fight in his home country as a world champion for the first time.