As the countdown begins to next month’s controversial clash between these 2 immensely popular fighters, let’s take a look at the history, the controversy behind this fight, the keys to success and anticipate how this 3rd fight could go on the night.
The first fight, way back in 2011, was a slug-fest for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship. Both Fury and Chisora were undefeated at the time, with the same records of 14-0. Fury won by unanimous decision with scores of 117–112, 117–112, and 118–111. Chisora had some success early in the fight, but Fury took over and largely dominated the rounds; racking up the points. The first fight was engrossing, as ‘Del-boy’ remained dangerous until the final rounds. Tyson Fury, however, was the deserved winner.
The fighters met again at the tail-end of 2014, in what was largely a disappointing affair (compared with the first action-packed fight). By this point, Chisora (20-4) hadn’t really developed as a fighter, and Tyson (22-0) was well on his way to perfecting the style that would keep him undefeated to this day.
From the very first bell, Chisora struggled with the movement and reach of the much taller Fury. Frustrated early on, Derek ‘War’ Chisora, ended up being warned twice for low blows. The fight then fell into a completely one-sided affair, when Fury switched from his usual orthodox stance to southpaw and proceeded to jab away at Chisora’s face without reply for the majority of the bout; occasionally switching back to orthodox to highlight his complete control. By the mid-rounds boos could be heard, as the fans lamented the lack of a competitive edge on display. By the end of round 10, the boo’s were echoing around the arena, and Chisora’s trainer, Don Charles, had seen enough and rightfully pulled Derek out of the fight.
Chisora’s face was a swollen mess by the end of the fight, and it was the first time fans had seen Derek take a sustained beating. It was a sad sight to behold and this plays a big part in the controversy behind this 3rd meeting between the pair. No-one wants to see fans-favorite, Chisora, take another one-sided beating; especially at this late stage in his career, coming after some recent brutal fights with the likes of Dillion Whyte (loss) and Joseph Parker (both, losses, albeit the first a split-decision).
But what can we expect from this 3rd fight? Let’s take a look at where each fighter could find success (and hopefully, create a compelling fan-experience for the anticipated large crowd).
Keys to success for Fury: In recent times Fury has started to plant his feet a bit more and show he’s more than just a boxer (his last 2 fights with Deontay Wilder in particular demonstrated this side of his armory). If he maintains his distance, as you would expect, he can still pick Chisora off at-will. Fury is an intelligent fighter, and will know the crowd won’t want to see a repeat of the second half of their last encounter, where he focused on showing off his superior boxing skills. Fury can (and should) be looking to take Chisora out and in a similar fashion to his dismantling of Whyte in his last outing.
Keys to success for Chisora: In order for Derek to be competitive (and keep the crowd on-side & entertained), he needs to get in close – far closer than he did in the second fight. That approach also comes with its own inherent risks; Fury now has a plethora of different punches which could finish Chisora off from the inside. Chisora however can still make it uncomfortable for any fighter when he’s up close, swinging those looping punches. He still carries some power and if he thinks for a second that Fury is getting complacent, he can land, to give the Gypsy King something to think about!
In terms of an outcome, it’s very hard to make a case for Chisora in this fight. Fury is an overwhelming favorite for a reason. I’d expect Del-boy to look lively early on, then fade after a few rounds. Fury, assuming he’s had even a half-successful fight camp, should win by knockout in the first half of the fight.
Good luck to both fighters, and hopefully we don’t see a repeat of Fury v Chisora 2 – if we do, Fury can expect to take some deserved criticism. And if, as expected this turns out to be yet another loss, (for the now 38 year old battle-worn Chisora) then hopefully he’s paid well and can finally look forward to a well earned retirement from professional boxing.