Nathan Heaney Vows to Continue Fighting After Manchester
Nathan Heaney said he would continue boxing after a difficult night at Manchester’s Co-op Live on February 8, 2025. The former British middleweight champion was stopped by Sofiane Khati in the seventh round on the Derek Chisora–Otto Wallin undercard. Heaney had briefly wondered whether the fight might be his last, but later told Talksport, “I will carry on.” The detailed account came from BBC Sport, which interviewed him three days after the bout.
The loss that prompted Heaney to reconsider
At the time of the interview, the Manchester result was recorded as Heaney’s second straight defeat. In July 2024, Brad Pauls had stopped him in the final round of their British title rematch in Birmingham. The pair had drawn in March, allowing Heaney to retain the title, so the July result ended his unbeaten professional record and cost him the belt. BBC Sport reported that the February 2025 bout was for the WBA Continental middleweight title.
Heaney, then 35, told BBC Sport he had wondered after the Khati fight whether he had experienced his “last dance.” A call from George Warren, part of Queensberry’s management team, helped reassure him that the promoter would support him. Heaney said his ambition to box remained, provided he could look after his health.
Heaney also spoke about the crowd that travelled from Stoke-on-Trent to support him. BBC reported that nearly 2,000 Stoke City fans were in Manchester, and Heaney credited that support as one reason he wanted to continue. His comments were personal and conditional: he still wanted to box, but his health mattered. That nuance is important after a stoppage loss, especially when a fighter has just described uncertainty about retirement.
The official result later changed
The British Boxing Board of Control later declared the Khati contest a no contest after UK Anti-Doping reported its case concerning Khati’s post-fight sample. UKAD’s published decision lists a three-month ban for a carboxy-THC finding, while the Board’s notice says the bout would be recorded as a “No Contest.” The change came months after Heaney’s interview and alters the official record: the Manchester bout is no longer a defeat for him.
This later ruling does not change what Heaney said immediately after the fight. He had just suffered a stoppage that was initially counted as a second consecutive loss, following the Pauls defeat, and he was weighing whether to continue. But a current retrospective should distinguish the information available on February 11, 2025, from the later administrative result. It should also avoid describing the bout today as a loss.
Heaney’s story is therefore about perseverance and a record that changed after a regulatory review. The stronger evidence is his actual interview, the confirmed round and venue, and the subsequent notice from the British Boxing Board. The interview and regulatory review provide context for Heaney’s career.
Sources: BBC Sport’s interview with Nathan Heaney; British Boxing Board of Control notice declaring the bout a no contest; UK Anti-Doping’s published sanction record.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
