By Ian S. Palmer
David Haye vs. Dereck Chisora boxing preview July 14
Boxing has a true grudge match on July 14 when British heavyweights David Haye and Dereck Chisora square off against each other at the Upton Park soccer stadium in London, England. These two don’t like each other and make no bones about it.
The roots to this bout can be traced back to Munich, Germany in February after Chisora lost a unanimous decision to Vitali Klitschko for the WBC heavyweight title. Chisora got on a lot of people’s nerves by slapping the champion in the face during the weigh in and then spitting water into the face of Wladimir Klitschko during the fighter introductions in the ring. He then put up a feeble effort in the fight and was beaten handily.
After the bout, Haye and Chisora got into an ugly altercation during the press conference in which a drinking glass was thrown and several people suffered cuts and bruises. Both men were questioned by the police and Chisora had his boxing license suspended by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) and was also suspended by the WBC. Haye was unlicensed at the time and this bout wasn’t sanctioned by the BBBoC. The Luxembourg boxing commission sanctioned the fight however, even though it will take place in Britain.
While the boxing commissions aren’t too happy about the fight, the public has been eating it up and 17,000 tickets were sold on the first day with 30,000 expected on fight night. The 28-year-old Chisora, who was born in Zimbabwe, will take his 15-3 record into the ring with him along with nine KOs. He’s 6-foot 1/1/2 inches with a 74-inch reach and is a former Commonwealth and British heavyweight champion. He’s probably what you’d call a grade B fighter even though he’s got decent power and a lot of determination. He obviously has discipline problems and isn’t the most skilled heavyweight out there. He’s lost all of his big fights, which were against Briton Tyson Fury, Klitschko, and Robert Helenius and has lost three of his last four contests.
Haye has a record of 25-2 with 23 KOS and is known as a powerful puncher. He’s 31 years old now and stands 6-foot-3 inches with a 78-inch reach, giving him the advantage everywhere except age. He’s a former WBA heavyweight titleholder as well as the former WBO, WBC, WBA cruiserweight champion. His two losses were the result of a dreadful performance against Wladimir Klitschko, in 2011 in which he lost a unanimous decision, and to Carl Thompson by a fifth-round TKO in 2004. When he’s in form, Haye has good power, boxing skills, and footwork. If he does have a weak spot it could be his chin, but he stayed on his feet against the powerful Klitschko. However, he’s been out of the ring for a year and could be a bit rusty.
Chisora will likely be the heavier fighter since Haye is more or less a cruiserweight who has put on a few pounds. He may also be physically stronger and prefers to fight on the inside whereas Haye would rather use his height and reach advantages and fight from a distance. Chisora has the better chin and that could be a major factor in the bout.
Another factor will be discipline. Even though there’s a lot of animosity between the two, they need to display some self control. All hell could break loose when the opening bell sounds, much like the famous Tommy Hearns vs Marvin haggler bout, or they could both stick to their game plans. Chisora needs to fight on the inside at turn it into a more physical bout with a bit of holding. He’d probably prefer a brawl while Haye will have the edge in a boxing match.
Haye can negate Chisora’s tactics by keeping him at bay with a powerful jab and nail him while he’s moving in. If he can stick and move and land his powerful shots and get out of range he’ll have the
