To someone who has no interest or knowledge in boxing, the idea of pairing a Ukrainian who stands at 6'8' inches tall, hasn't lost a fight in over 11 years and has amassed 40 knock-outs in his 45 fights, against an Englishman who stands little over 6 foot, and has lost 2 of his last 3 ventures inside the ring, might seem a little foolish. However the current state of heavyweight boxing is as such; a promising fighter who entertains crowds and has a string of victories to his name, can find himself up against the biggest and the best, but mostly a long time before he is ready.
Zimbabwe born Chisora ticks all of the above boxes. There can be no question that he is promising, rising from the amateur ranks to win his first 14 fights. It was then that, having secured a British heavyweight belt, he was beaten by fellow countryman Tyson Fury. At the moment his record stands at 15-2, having also lost in a controversial bout with Finland's Robert Helenius. He also entertains crowds, if not all of the time with his impressive style. Chisora is renown for his antics both inside and outside the ring. In 2009 he was suspended for biting the ear of his opponent during a fight, and on more than one occasion has stirred the cauldron of controversy by kissing fighters whilst in their traditional pre-fight stare down. As recently as two days ago, Chisora shocked the boxing world by slapping Vitali Klitshcko, once again in the stare down prior to tonight's match-up.
So there is no qualms that, in an era that is crying out for world-class heavyweight champions, Derek Chisora has thrown himself in front of the rest of the pack when it comes to qualifying for a shot at the big boys. In Vitali Klitshcko however, he faces a well-oiled fighting machine who knows only one thing when it comes to boxing: how to win. In all of the Ukrainian's 45 fights, he has only been beaten twice, and even then both times it was down to injury hindering him rather than being bested. To borrow from Apollo Creed, Klitschko has lost, but he's never been beaten. You don't have to be a fan of Dr. Ironfist to acknowledge that he is possibly one of the greatest fighters ever to grace the ring, and despite being 40 years of age and 12 years Chisora's senior, the bookmakers have made him a massive favourite to retain his title.
Chisora has faced big men before though, and the experience he gained from the likes of Tyson Fury (6'9') and Robert Helenius (6'6') might give him a leg to stand on in a fight that nobody is giving him a chance in. To bring down the towering frame of Klitschko you most certainly need power, something that Chisora has in abundance. You also need to be aggressive, and if the stare down was anything to go by, Chisora isn't lacking in that department either. But most importantly you need to have an efficient, direct plan, and one that you will stick by even when fatigue and bruising have taken their toll. Providing he has the right tactic and keeps a cool head, with his natural abilities passing most tests with flying colours, Chisora might just be able to throw the biggest upset boxing has seen in a long time.
So it may be a case of David and Goliath, and Chisora might be being groomed by most as the whipping boy for a true maestro of the sport. However Chisora isn't fazed by his position: "It suits my just fine being the underdog, I will give the world a shock when Klitschko comes tumbling down to earth. I will win this fight." It may be a panicked attempt to throw his opponent off course, they may be the words of a confident man about to secure one of the biggest upsets the heavyweight scene has ever seen. One things is beyond reckoning: this will be the fight of his life.
For more information see:
- http://www.badlefthook.com/2012/2/17/2805014/klitschko-vs-chisora-weigh-in-chisora-slaps-klitschko-video
- http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/why-its-unfair-not-to-take-underdog-687746
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/17065316
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