Chisora: Anger towards Haye has been simmering for a year
EXCLUSIVE
BRITISH heavyweight Dereck Chisora has revealed that his bitter rivalry with David Haye began well before their February press conference brawl and that he has not yet forgiven him for the cancellation of his fight with world champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Chisora was last year scheduled to challenge Klitschko in Germany on 30 April before withdrawing because of an abdominal injury amid growing speculation that he was in talks with Haye over a 2 July showdown.
That Haye had claimed a fight would only be possible on that date if Klitschko’s fight with Chisora was cancelled – “[Klitschko’s] chosen to fight someone else which effectively means it is impossible for our fight to happen on 2nd July” – has never been forgotten by the latter, particularly given that Haye replaced Chisora as Klitschko’s opponent. Perhaps more than anything it is that, the former British champion admits, that fuelled the considerable anger displayed in their violent confrontation in February.
“After the fight got cancelled, and David Haye took the fight and started talking trash, I didn’t like him, so I was like when I see him, we’ll have to sort it out,” said Chisora.
“[Then] after that [press conference] situation we knew we had to get this fight on. I said ‘Get it on, I want it on’. It was going to be very difficult but all good things are very difficult.”
Given that Chisora possesses that particular belief, it would only be natural that the prospect of facing a fighter as illustrious as two-weight world champion Haye comes with a certain apprehension but he regardless remains confident in his ability and believes it is Haye, and not he, who should be concerned about their fight in east London tomorrow.
“Haye don’t like to get hit,” adds Zimbabwe-born Chisora, for whom respect greatly grew after giving WBC champion Vitali Klitschko his toughest fight since losing to British great Lennox Lewis in 2003.
“[But] I’m not going to get in no one’s head. He knows I’m already in his head. He knows what I’m about and I’m going to catch the fool.
“We’re [Chisora and trainer Don Charles] just chilled out, man. We’re Africans, we don’t really moan a lot, we’re just going to do what we have to do and see this guy on the 14th.
“Just watch the fight, you’re going to love it.”
David Haye fights Dereck Chisora at Upton Park tomorrow. Watch live on BoxNation (Sky Ch. 456/Virgin Ch. 546) and join at boxnation.com
IN Dereck Chisora, David Haye faces an opponent as game and hungry as any throughout his career, but it’s still difficult to look beyond a victory for the favourite.
At his best, Haye is a cagey, exceptionally quick and highly polished fighter. Chisora’s greatest chance comes in working on the inside and forcing Haye to fight at a higher pace. Talk of the latter’s lack of punch resistance has foundation, but ‘Del Boy’ has yet to prove himself a concussive puncher.
Regardless, Haye’s greatest strengths include his footwork, head movement and reflexes. Though Chisora is equipped with an impressive engine, and an admirable heart and chin, his biggest struggle will come when attempting to engage Haye in a fight and he could fail to do so.
Haye will fight on the back foot. If he goes for a knockout, this could be over in less than eight rounds. If not, a points win, albeit a testing one, will be the outcome.