By James Slater – Though unbeaten British heavyweight and would-be world title challenger Derek Chisora is understandably disappointed and frustrated right now – to the point where he is somewhat sceptical about Wladimir Klitschko’s back injury – “Del Boy’s” main concern is of making sure he will still get his fight with the world champion.
Speaking with BBC radio, the unbeaten 26-year-old who would have been swapping punches with “Dr. Steel Hammer” in two day’s time had the champion not pulled out of the fight on Germany, said that the least time he saw Wladimir up close and personal, the champ looked in fine health..
“When we saw him, everything was good,” Chisora said. “I just think he didn’t want it.”
It does seem that these days, whenever a fighter pulls out of a fight, there is speculation about whether or not the given reason for the fighter having done so is genuine. And it is perhaps strange that Wladimir has withdrawn from this fight with it so close to happening (Wlad showed no signs of having any problem at yesterday‘s open workout). Still, doctors have confirmed how the 34-year-old pulled a muscle in his back and will need approx four to six week of recovery time as a result.
What really worries Chisora, though, is the possibility that he will not now get his chance, and that Klitschko will forget all about him and fight the man he really wants next instead: David Haye. Already, there are suggestions that Klitschko and Haye will finally get it on next year, and that Chisora will miss out on the opportunity he was initially given.
However, “Del Boy” is adamant that before any Klitschko-Haye fight happens, Wladimir must face him.
“He offered the fight and he has to fight me,” Chisora said. “We want that fight. We’ve got a clause in our contract saying the fight is going to happen anyway but we’ll just have to wait and see now. I’m in the papers now and everybody wants to see what I’ve got in the ring. Him and David Haye, that’s going to have to wait for a bit because he has to get past me now.
“We’re not in it for the money. We were fighting for no-good money, we were fighting for pride and to prove we’re the best in the game, so we’re not stepping aside.”
So, if Klitschko IS thinking of forgetting all about Chisora and taking the much bigger, much more demanded fight with Haye in his next fight (and it’s merely speculation that this is what Klitschko has in mind), he will not find Chisora in any mood to allow the clash to go on. A contract is a contract, and Klitschko simply has to honour the one he signed when he agreed to defend against the untested Brit.
Will Wladimir regret ever having offered Chisora a shot? Is the world’s number-one now excited about a fight with Haye instead?