Dereck Chisora: Mike Tyson, Leon Spinks or Julius Francis?
By Donald Stewart (This article was written prior to Wladimir Klitschko pulling out of the fight due to an injury.)
Let’s take a heavyweight boxer who was convicted of assaulting a woman, banned for biting an opponent, brought to boxing to escape a life of crime and is about to go into a fight for not one, not two but three Heavyweight belts.
Sound familiar?
But this is not Mike Tyson. This is the latest British export hoping to make a name for himself in the heavyweight ring – Dereck “Del Boy” Chisora, 14-0, 9 KO’s. For many observers the similarities between the two boxers abruptly stop right there!
Chisora, born in Zimbabwe and brought to London by his mother, has “earned” the right to fight for the titles held by Wladimir Klitschko 55-3, 49 KO’s, by beating Sam Sexton 13-2, 6 KO’s, to become the UK Heavyweight Champion. The attention of the Klitschko camp was brought to bear on a guy that some believe will allow Wladimir to avoid a potentially more difficult Heavyweight – David Haye 25-1, 23 KO’s.
But Dereck Chisora has only fought professionally 14 times and has only managed 63 rounds in the ring. How can anyone be serious that this is going to be a fight worthy of a PPV audience or likely to set the heather alight amongst boxing fans? Surely there has never been such a mismatch and if either Klitschko wants to finally get their names mentioned in the same breath as giants like Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Tyson and the rest they need to stock up fights against the very best – not against the inexperienced patsy who can read numbers on the contract but fails to realize they are only a bit part player.
We do have some precedence in such an unlikely upset. In 1978, Leon Spinks, an unbeaten heavyweight with a 6-0 record going in to the fight took on Muhammad Ali. What followed was the shock of the year – perhaps even of the decade. In boxing history and in the legacy of Ali, Leon Spinks became the only man ever to take a title away from him in the ring. Could Chisora replicate such a fairytale ending?
Or will Del Boy turn up his toes like Julius Francis?
Francis was another heavyweight contender brought into the ring towards the end of Tyson’s career – there have been that many endings to his career it’s hard to remember it once began brightly! Francis fought Mike Tyson in 2000 in Manchester. Before he got into the ring he had managed to complete a deal with the UK newspaper, The Mirror, which saw them paying for adverts on the soles of Francis’s shoes. The derision that followed is still ringing in the ears of the UK boxing fans who actually thought he had a chance! Is Chisora likely to be phoning the Mirror to see if they are interested in a repeat advertising subscription?
Chisora is an enigmatic character. If he was to go into the ring and put his heart on the canvas there are few that would beat him. Fact is heart is only enough to get you through the ropes. He needs a lot more than that. After 63 rounds of professional boxing this novice has his chance to take three world titles out of a Klitschko’s hands and make more than just a name for himself.
Chisora takes his nickname from a UK television character. Del Boy is a spiv. A spiv is someone who operates just between the law and criminal activity. He is a loveable rogue. The character is the UK television’s most loveable rogue. One of Del Boy’s favorite saying is “this time next year we’ll be millionaires.” Such optimism may work in fiction but will it work in fact for Chisora?
Many think not, in fact bookmakers are heavily betting on the normality of a Klitschko victory. He turned professional in February 2007 after a glittering amateur career. He would have been the British Champion earlier had he not been fined £2,500 and suspended for four months for biting the ear of Paul Butlin.
In November 2010, he was convicted of assault against a former girlfriend with a suspended sentence, a fine and community service – bit like Boy George in New York except nobody will make fun of him if his overalls don’t fit!
Klitschko’s style is, of course well known. Jab and toy with the opponent, go into cruise control, wait for the chanting crowd then beat the guy up. Chisora is light on his feet, has decent ring movement and has genuine knockout power.
He rough houses and will need to get inside Klitschko’s defense to create an impression. If he manages that he may be able to disrupt the rhythm of the Klitschko style. If he doesn’t manage to do that we shall be looking at yet another challenger biting the dust.
As for those who wonder why Chisora would even entertain such a contest. Can you imagine which of the following conversations ACTUALLY took place: –
Klitschko camp, “Hey Dereck, heard you did well against Matt Sexton. How do you fancy a fight for three World titles against Wladimir Klitschko?”
Chisora, “Actually guys, flattered that I am that you could possibly see me in the same league as Wladimir I have to say that right now I am not ready and it would be suicide for me to fight Wladimir at this stage of my career. I have little confidence in my own ability and perhaps in a few years we could sit down and talk through how this could happen and it would be a much more even contest. I would hate to shatter what little confidence I have in my own ability. Bye.”
OR
Klitschko camp, “Hey Dereck, heard you did well against Matt Sexton. How do you fancy a fight for three World titles against Wladimir Klitschko?”
Chisora, “When?”
As the character Chisora takes his nickname from would say – You know it makes sense. But then again it was funny on the television because he said it when it clearly didn’t…
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