Watch: Dereck Chisora targeting Joseph Parker before a world title shot, says trainer

British heavyweight impressed in his most recent outing and his trainer has revealed their plans ahead of retirement

British boxer Dereck Chisora has set sights on Joseph Parker and a potential shot at a world title after registering a devastating knockout victory on Saturday night, confirmed trainer Dave Coldwell.

Chisora notched an emphatic win against Poland’s Artur Szpilka at London’s O2 Arena, connecting with a barrage of shots in the second round then landing a right hook to leave his opponent sprawled on the canvas. In 2016, Szpilka had taken unbeaten heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder to nine rounds.

Now 35, Chisora would like to face former world champion Parker before maybe earning a second world title shot to round off a long and colourful career. Chisora's previous world title fight came in 2012 when he put up a valiant effort in a unanimous points defeat to long-reigning champion Vitali Klitschko.

Speaking in Dubai on Wednesday, Coldwell said Chisora’s focus is now on Parker - and, should he win, a potential run at some of the division’s reigning belt holders.

“I’m absolutely over the moon for him because now it sets up one last big push for a big fight, possibly against Joseph Parker, which would be huge,” Coldwell said as he put a number of his stable through their paces at a training camp at Real Boxing Only Gym. “Another tough fight, but it’s the fight Dereck wants, it’s the fight his management wants, and it’s the fight fans want. It would be a hell of a fight.

“I wasn’t bothered talking about it before Szpilka, because I knew this was going to be such a dangerous fight. I told Dereck, ‘you just need to focus on this, because it you don’t get past it, there is nothing. There is no Parker fight.’

“But now that fight’s out of the way, that’s the fight that we want, that’s the fight everyone wants. Like I said, it’s going to be an exciting fight, a very, very hard fight. But Dereck’s got one, maybe two more fights left in him.

“I don’t want him to keep on going just because he’s tough and he’s strong and he loves to fight. So that would be a fitting way to bow out, in a massive fight.

“Or if he beats Parker and if he gets a world title shot, then he goes out on that. He’s at that stage of his career. I like the guy and I don’t want to see him hanging around, getting too many hard fights.”

The heavyweight division has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with Wilder, Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury at its forefront. WBC champion Wilder last fought in May, when he knocked out mandatory challenger Dominic Brezeale in the first round in New York, and is now set for a rematch with Luis Ortiz.

Last month, WBA, WBO and IBF champion Joshua suffered one of the division's greatest shocks when he was beaten in seven rounds by Mexico's Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden, while two weeks later Fury defeated German Tom Schwarz in two rounds in Las Vegas.

Another former world champion, Fury claims a highly anticipated rematch with Wilder, whom he drew controversially with in December, has been signed to take place next February.

Meanwhile, Chisora’s renaissance continues since his second defeat to Dillian Whyte, also in December. Whyte won at the O2 as well on Saturday, surviving a ninth-round knockdown to overcome Colombia’s Oscar Rivas.

Asked where Chisora ranks in the division, Coldwell said: “He’s up there after the top four right now. You’ve got Fury, Joshua, Wilder, then Dillian Whyte, then Parker. Parker’s the gateway to the bigger guys. So if you beat Parker it puts you right at the front of the chasing pack.”

On how significant a wake-up call Joshua received at the hands of Ruiz Jr - his first defeat in 23 pro fights - Coldwell added: “Massive. AJ is one of the most professional fighters there is, but it’s the same with every fighter, not just AJ: the longer you go unbeaten, the more media attention that you’re getting, the more people slapping you on your back telling you that you’re great, the more money and everything that goes with being successful ... the longer that happens, there is a part of your brain that eases off.

“And although in the main you’re still driving to push forward, subconsciously you perhaps just think ‘It’s just another win’. Because your eyes are waiting on the big fights.

“Your focus is on there, even though you’re saying ‘no, I’m focused on this guy’. It’s human nature. Subconsciously that can happen. And when it does, you slip up. It happens so many times in boxing. AJ’s not the first, and he certainly won’t be the last.

“Everybody talking about a big fight, the guy who comes that’s the warm-up fight or whatever, that’s his life, that’s his everything. He’s not looking past AJ; he’s looking that you are everything. ‘All I have to do is beat you and my life changes’. That’s a big thing. Mentally, that’s completely different to get past."