By Lewis Croft: As expected Frank Warren announced today that the all British heavyweight grudge match between former WBA Heavyweight champion David Haye and former British and Commonwealth Champion Dereck Chisora will take place at West Ham’s, Upton Park on July 14th.
A year ago this fight would not have captured the public’s imagination as it has now, following Dereck Chisora’s points defeat to WBC Heavyweight Champion Vitali Kiltschko back in February, a brawl erupted between Haye and Chisora in the post-fight press conference that made headlines around the world.
The fight has had to be sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation after the British Boxing Board of Control withdrew the licence of Dereck Chisora following the scenes in Munich.. Now despite this Warren was quick to reiterate that he is not undermining the British Boxing Board of Control and stated:
“This is not the end of British boxing,”
“I believe it will be a sell out, a huge event. There are far worse things happening in sport than what’s happening here.
“No charges have been made against Haye or Dereck for what happened in Munich.
“The hearing was put back to July so Dereck will have effectively been out of the ring for six months and that equates, if he was a footballer, to being out of action for 24 matches,”
“He has lost half of his purse in sanctions and costs since the Klitschko fight.
“He has no qualifications, the next thing for him to do would be to sign on.
“He is not banned from boxing. The fight has been licenced by the governing body in Luxembourg, which has the same standards as the British Boxing Board of Control.
“It is the biggest fight of the year and the fact of the matter is that the fight is legal, lawful and will go ahead.”
Separated by a seven-foot high steel fence, the two fighters exchanged ‘pleasantries’ with Haye vowing to beat Chisora once again only this time it will be official and inside a boxing ring for all to see.
“He is the ideal opponent for me,” Haye said. “I am so glad he has got a good chin because if he didn’t have a good chin he would be blasted out in the first round. This means I will give him a nice, slow, concussive beating.
“I tried to knock him out in Munich and this is the opportunity to shut him up.”
Chisora hit back by making fun of the ever present hairstyle of David Haye: “I don’t like him. David, you need to get style. Your corn rows are out of fashion.”
“Talk is cheap now. That was a lucky shot he hit me with in Munich.
“David: you are winning 1-0 but come July I am coming to whoop your ass.
“Your talk is cheap. You always talk but you don’t deliver in the ring.”