On May 23rd, London's O2 Arena will host a huge heavyweight clash between former wrold cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk against Derek "War" Chisora. The fight was scheduled for earlier in the year but got pushed back due to an Usyk injury. Here is what Chisora and his manager David Haye (pictured) had to say at a pres conference on Friday:
David Haye:
“I think this has worked in Derek’s favor, the fight being pushed back, as it has given him an opportunity over the six-month period to consistently train. We’re not talking training so he will be burned out come fight night but periodic training. We are working on his engine, his punch quality and week by week he has improved. He has looked so good that we had to give him a vacation.
“He has done his first spar and we now have ourselves a situation with an exceptional Cruiserweight, perhaps even the best ever moving into a division where he hasn’t done anything yet. He touched on it as an amateur, but that is long range and about boxing skills.
“Derek isn’t going to try and outbox Usyk, he is going to drag him into a dogfight from the first bell. I feel he is brave enough to hold his feet because he feels he is significantly better than Derek but he is going to be in there with a completely different animal.
“Sometimes skills can be overridden by size, heart and desire. I don’t feel that Usyk has been in a rough fight which he will be in on May 23rd. We are going to cause a massive upset and I feel that Usyk has miscalculated Derek heading into this fight. who would have thought that Derek would have been in the ring with a pound for pound king in Usyk a couple of years back? Usyk does not realise what Derek is about! His coach will not allow him in sparring to do what Derek will be doing to him with 10oz gloves on. This will be a special fight.”
Derek Chisora (32-9, 23 KOs):
“I want to thank Oleksandr for taking this fight. I am fighting one of the best fighters out there! The guy knows how to box and I can’t get sparring partners who can box like him. I will chuck whatever I can chuck. I want to take his golden ticket and I want to take what he has and make it mine. I think the way he wins this fight is by knocking me out but that is not going to happen because I am going to keep coming. I am so chuffed for this fight.
“The guy has good foot movement and If I box his way he is going to win it. I just need to land a couple of punches to slow him down and it is going to be an exciting fight. I am ready to go! I will step in them ropes, bite down on the gumshield and catch this man.”
