Michael Hunter Hopeful for Bigger Fights, But Focused on Cassius Chaney

Michael Hunter is tired of the politics of boxing TKO’ing his career.

Hunter will face Cassius Chaney as part of the undercard of Don King’s “Fists of Fury” event on June 7 at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Inactivity has plagued Hunter (22-1-2, 16 KOs) throughout his career, with this being only his third fight since 2022. His two previous bouts were in Mexico and off television. Hunter has fought for seemingly every promoter, yet a world title has evaded him thus far. At 35, Hunter is hopeful that a fight against Chaney (23-1, 16 KOs) will be a gateway to bigger matchups.

“It’s been kind of tough because I’ve been out of the ring for quite some time, so I had to get myself busy,” Hunter said at Wednesday’s virtual press conference. “Politics did get the best of me, but I plan to get back to the No. 1 position, and I’m excited to take this fight on and this challenge.”

Hunter competed at heavyweight in the 2012 Olympics, while Chaney, 36, is a former basketball player who was a late convert to boxing. Chaney is coming off the biggest win of his career, a seventh-round knockout of Trevor Bryan in November. Given both fighters’ ages, it might be hard for the loser to regain momentum after a loss at this point.

“The energy for this fight has been going around, and the energy is right where it’s supposed to be, with the heavyweights,” Hunter said. “We’re the big guys. That’s why we call it the heavyweights, because there aren’t bigger and tougher men than that.”

Hunter’s lone career loss came against Oleksandr Usyk in 2017, in a cruiserweight bout. Although Hunter has stated on multiple occasions that he wanted a rematch, he deferred when given an opportunity after Usyk became undisputed heavyweight champion with a tremendous win over Tyson Fury last Saturday. Hunter said his focus is solely on Chaney.

“The fight Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fought was good,” Hunter said. “I think the right man won. But I’m not here to focus on that fight. I’m here to focus on my fight, because that is what’s in front of me.”