London: Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora, the ultimate Jekyll and Hyde double act of boxing, will warm up for a summer rematch in distinctly different challenges against seasoned American heavyweights on February 15.
Chisora heads Frank Warren’s show at the Copper Box Arena in London against Kevin Johnson, who lost on points when he challenged Vitali Klitschko for his world title in 2009 and by similar margins against Fury in Belfast in 2012 (that was billed as a WBC world title eliminator; the Mancunian is still waiting).
Revived after four stoppage wins since David Haye bowled him over in five rounds in 2012, Chisora will be keen to beat Johnson inside the distance.
Fury, having threatened to retire after David Haye twice withdrew from fights against him, has been out of the ring since April but seems refocused ahead of a low-level tune-up against Joey Abell.
Abell, a late substitute, was down four times — once from a jab to the body — before quitting at the start of the fifth against the world-class Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev just before Christmas. He nonetheless claims 28 stoppages in 29 wins against toweringly anonymous opponents in the boondocks of the sport in America and admits to having been stopped five times in seven defeats. Former contenders Chris Arreola and Fres Oquendo have halted him, so at least he has lost in good company, as well. He should not detain Fury long.
If Chisora and Fury do not slip up, Warren promises to pit them against each other, with the winner well-placed for a world title challenge, possibly against Wladimir Klitschko, who owns four versions of the world title.
The promoter does not expect negotiations to be easy. “They’re great ambassadors for boxing,” Warren says of the Klitschko brothers. “But behind the scenes they know so many tricks, it takes you back to the old days. Over there, you have to have eyes up your backside.”
“A fight between me and Dereck Chisora is the only British heavyweight fight out there,” says Fury, who beat the out-of-shape Londoner on points to win the British title nearly three years ago. For the moment, Fury and Chisora are ignoring Anthony Joshua. They dismissed the suggestion last week by rival promoter Eddie Hearn that the Olympic champion was ready for either of them after four quick stoppage wins from four fights.
“He doesn’t need to be thrown in with a lion when he’s a lamb at the minute,” Fury says.
Chisora adds: “I agree. I don’t have any bad things to say about Anthony, he’s just doing what he does, but for Eddie Hearn to bring my name and Tyson’s name into it is stupid. He’s not ready.”
Fury tweeted last night, with a photo to prove it, that he’d been cut over his left eye in sparring on Friday but would not “do a Hayemaker”, and he intends to go through with the fight.
