The 41-year-old heavyweight will face Otto Wallin in his 49th fight on Saturday (08.02.25) but plans to hang up his gloves after his 50th bout, though he isn’t sure how he will feel about his career coming to an end because the sport is so addictive.

He told Boxing News magazine: “It’s hard. It’s one of the hardest things to do.

“Boxing is an addictive sport. It’s a drug sport; it’s like heroin.

“When you’ve got the bus – you go to the amateur gym for the first time and all of a sudden you’re waiting for the bus shadow boxing. People say, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ ”

Derek believes he has attracted such a huge following over the years because he’s always keen to offer entertainment to the audience.

He said: “Think about what the minimum wage is and then imagine you’re working a shift so you can save up for a ticket to watch a boxing fight.

“You get there, you watch the fight and you’re not happy or satisfied. You’d be upset wouldn’t you?

“If you come to my show, you leave there happy.

“I want to give people value for money. I’m in the entertainment business.

“My job is to entertain those guys who have worked hard for the last three months to make money to watch a fight.

“The moment I announce a fight, I want people to be excited to come.

“It’s like booking a ticket to the Champions League final – you’re excited, you know the dates, you’re practicing the songs, all of that.”