Scott Heavey - Getty Images
Dereck Chisora is making plans for an upset on Saturday against Vitali Klitschko. (Photo by Scott Heavey/Getty Images)
Dereck Chisora says he won't go looking for the knockout on Saturday when he faces WBC heavyweight titlist Vitali Klitschko, but that he feels he's going to be able to get one by pushing the pace and tiring out the 40-year-old Ukrainian.
From the Daily Star:
"If he doesn’t go down I will just keep working. I’m not going there looking for a knockout, I’m going there to out-work this guy. I would leave myself vulnerable by looking for a knockout. He’s going to feel the pace by the middle rounds and then I will knock him out in the eighth round. A lot of his opponents are defeated before they even walk to the ring but I’m not scared of this guy. I’ve got speed – and speed kills. He will look his age."
Chisora (15-2, 9 KO) does keep a high workrate when he's in shape, and all reports are that he's kept himself fit between fights this time and is taking this as the big opportunity that it is. Klitschko (43-2, 40 KO) is a powerful man who also stays in shape constantly, but he's 40 years old and has not been pressed with a rough pace since making his comeback in 2008.
Vitali says he expects a tough fight in this one, giving credit to Chisora for really winning his last fight, a controversial points loss on the road against Robert Helenius in December. I don't think Vitali Klitschko has ever taken any opponent lightly, no matter how tough or easy they figured to be, and this will without question be a massive step up in class for Chisora, but at this point fighting the Klitschkos is a massive step up in class for anyone, unless their last fight was the other Klitschko.
I don't know what it is, but I've just got a really good feeling about this fight. Not so much that we'll see an upset and thus a passing of the torch, but that we're going to see an entertaining fight. Chisora is frankly not a nice guy -- he's got a genuine mean streak in him and a serious chip on his shoulder at all times. I really don't believe he's scared of Vitali, and he's right when he says many opponents are before they ever get into the ring with the big man.
I'm not banking on Chisora winning, or even coming close. I am banking on him making Vitali work, making him throw leather, and making him fight. Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I'm really feeling this fight.
0 recs | 16 comments
I'm with you on this.
I think Del Boy realised quite what he can do after the Helenius fight when fully fit and focused. Frankly, there aren’t any other particularly good heavyweight pressure fighters around – just a lot of tall, overweight plodders fighting exlusively on the outside. Dereck’s got a real chance to make a splash and, though I seriously doubt he wins this, I think it’s going to be a real barnstormer. Since the fight was signed, it’s been the one on the schedule I’m most excited for – really, really hope these guys deliver.
Oli Goldstein - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Just rewatched some of the Chisora Helenius fight. Chisora fights tall and moves well. Good body work. He’s what we all wished David Haye was without quite as much upside.
I’m excited, too.
davecwright - February 12, 2012
I’ve learned not to bet against the Klitscho’s.
Zfan - February 12, 2012
I can’t believe this is the highlight of the boxing season thusfar… Well, I guess WV2 vs. Donaire was supposed to fill that role once Berto vs. Ortiz was scrapped, but still, pretty thin schedule so far.
Apprentice - February 12, 2012
Someone may well be getting KO'd in the 8th
but it won’t be Vitali.
Matt Mosley - February 12, 2012
This was my first thought when I read the headline
Apprentice - February 12, 2012
I ahve to say i wasn’t as impressed with Chisora against Helenius as some were. Yes, i thought he definitely should have got the nod, and he was in much better shape than he was against Fury, but he is still pretty limited, basic and predictable in style, and doesn’t have the power to really hurt Vit, as far as i’m concerned.
The Helenius fight was as much about how bad RH looked (when reportedly fighting with a broken hand) as it was about how good Chisora did, IMO.
Matt Mosley - February 12, 2012
I can’t see Delboy making a dent in Vitali. I know it was a long time ago, but Lewis never Hurt Vitali and Chisora ain’t no Lewis!
Phill - February 12, 2012
Vitali has never even been knocked down, never mind knocked out and as you say, he’s fought a lot better fighters than Del Boy.
Routine (some might say easy) defence for Vit here i reckon.
Matt Mosley - February 12, 2012
I am sure that Uppercut (you know the one I am talking about) hurt Vitali. Granted, he took it well, but to say he wasn’t hurt is too bigger statement
Sweet science - February 12, 2012
I was meaning hurt in a ‘close to being knocked out’ sense, not in the literal sense. He was cut to pieces too and that would have hurt. I just think Chisora is pissing in the wind if he thinks he can spark him.
Phill - February 12, 2012
fair enough
Your last sentence is something I agree with wholeheartedly
Sweet science - February 14, 2012
Personally, I think Cotto vs Mayweather is more likely to be competitive.
But that’s not saying a whole lot.
Matt Miller - February 12, 2012
Has anyone here ever watched a fight on Epix?
Im_a_fun_haver - February 12, 2012
Yes, but I learned my lesson to just catch the UK airings I always catch since the UK shows are actually live and Epix can, has, and will delay things by 15 minutes or so to make sure Dan Rafael and Lennox Lewis get their pre-fight pearls of wisdom in. I don’t get it — these are fights directed at an audience that KNOWS how to go out of their way to watch an overseas fight, but they treat it like they’re the only option, while Epix is a very small-time premium channel not even carried by the likes of Comcast. I think they do things wrong, and their internet streaming has been consistently shitty and unable to handle server demand.
Scott Christ - February 12, 2012
I think that Chisora got close to Helenius because the latter had nothing like the jab that Klitschko has, and he was clumsy and flustered, not to mention inaccurate, through much of it.
So, I think that Chisora won’t be able to replicate against Klitschko what he was able to do against Helenius. It will be one-sided after the first 3 rounds at most.
DrRck - February 13, 2012
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