Old pals Fury, Chisora promise to put friendship aside, produce fireworks for the fans
Heavyweight championship on the line Saturday in London
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WBC and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and challenger Derek Chisora met head to head at their final pre-fight news conference on Thursday and promised fireworks when they meet Saturday before an expected crowd of more than 60,000 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
The card will air on ESPN+ in the United States and on BT Sport Box Office in United Kingdom with the card beginning at 1 p.m. ET and the main event at approximately 4 p.m. ET.
Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs), 38, who lost a lopsided decision to British countryman Fury in 2011 and was stopped by him in the 10th round of a 2014 rematch, said he and Fury spoke to each other and promised they would come out guns blazing when the bell rings.
“We want to give you the best first round in the heavyweight game forever,” Chisora said. “We need the first round to be electric, so the place will be buzzing. I’m prepared to do it. We shook on it.”
Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs), 34, who will be making his third WBC title defense and ninth lineal title defense, said he would also step on the gas from the outset.
“I’ll be running to the ring like the (WWE’s) Ultimate Warrior, flat out sprinting,” Fury said.
Fury rejected the view of many that the fight is an unnecessary mismatch since he has already handily beaten Chisora twice and Chisora has not been a top contender for several years and isn’t exactly on the upswing.
“Whoever fights Derek Chisora is in for a fucking good fight. That’s what we know,” Fury said. “That’s what we prepared for. And he was available and ready to rock n’ roll. He stepped up to the plate, and bang, here we are. There’s going to be a throwdown for the fans right before Christmas.
“I needed to fight this year regardless of who it was. I love fighting. I always need to fight. I wish I could fight every single month of my life. Derek’s the same. We love to fight. So, if we could fight 12 times next year, that’d be fantastic. I’m doing what I love to do. I’m getting paid to do what I love. I take my career very seriously. I’m looking forward to it. I cannot wait to get out there, put on a show and entertain.”
Fury, who would have preferred to face Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed title but he elected to lay off for the rest of the year after defeating Anthony Joshua in their August rematch, and Chisora also downplayed their friendship that has developed over the years. It’s not a secret that one of the reasons Fury selected Chisora as his opponent was to give his pal the payday.
“Come Saturday night, there’s no friendship,” Fury said. “There are no friends in business, and this is a business transaction. So, we’re going to go in there, punch the fuck out of each other, and then afterward we can have a nice little sandwich, a nice cup of tea, whatever he wants. Not a problem. But while we’re in there, we’re in fight mode. We’re going to put on a great show.”
Chisora said that while he appreciates Fury’s willingness to give him the opportunity he will fight him as hard as he possibly can.
“I can’t sit here and try to be more aggressive to Tyson and try to say so many bad words because the man I’m looking at right now is giving me an opportunity when nobody wanted to give me an opportunity,” Chisora said. “He called me up and he said to me, ‘I want to fight you. I want to give you a big payday.’ And I said, ‘Yes. Let’s make it happen.’ For me to sit here and try to talk shit and say so many bad things about a man who is actually giving me food on the table for my kids, I cannot.
“All these guys in the game don’t want me to be on this stage. But come Saturday I can guarantee you this: friendship will be out of the door. Me and this big man are going to get it on. I’m not going to try to hold back on anything. Come Saturday, I’m going to war. I want to take what’s his and make it mine.”
Fury-Chisora photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank
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