South Africa-based Malawian boxer Isaac ‘Golden Boy’ Chilemba has admitted that he was not fit to withstand the heat against Russian Alexei Papin in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday night.
Chilemba’s comeback fight ended in disappointment after he was knocked out in round two of the eight-round non-title cruiserweight fight.
He told Times Sport that his opponent took advantage of his lack of fitness.
“As you know, I came out of retirement, having stayed for two years without a fight. I only had training for three weeks. I was not at my best level of fitness.
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“If I were fit enough, I could have stayed on after the punch but I realised when I was on the floor that I was not ready for the bout. My opponent was weighing 10 kilogrammes more than me,” Chilemba said.
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Asked if he is going finally to retire after the defeat, the 37-year-old Malawian said he would decide in the next few weeks.
“I am still reflecting on the loss. I came out of retirement because of the fight. I still have a lot of energy, of course,” he said.
Chilemba started the bout strongly and gave his fans some false hopes.
He, however, failed to maintain the tempo.
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This could be a big setback for the Malawian boxer, who was hoping to make a positive return to the ring.
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) President Lonzoe Zimba said Chilemba should consider retiring completely from the ring.
“Looking at his performance against the Russian boxer, I think he needs to quit the ring. He should focus on being a trainer to save his reputation,” Zimba said.
Following the defeat, Chilemba has won 27 bouts, suffered three losses and registered 10 draws in his professional career.
