Heavyweight star Dereck Chisora begins his 2014 world title campaign on Saturday 8th February at London’s Copper Box Arena and aims to end the year as world champion.
Power-punching Chisora finished off Czech Ondrej Pala inside three rounds at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday night to successfully defend his WBO Intercontinental belt and add the Vacant WBA International title to add to his European crown.
The win caps a fantastic year for the Finchley ace who’s won all four fights by KO and is in a great position to start 2014 as he looks to get his second shot at a world title. In his first attempt in February 2012 he pushed the WBC World Champion Vitali Klitschko the distance and giving him his hardest fight since Lennox Lewis nearly a decade earlier.
British Champion David Price is obligated to face Chisora on February 8th at the Copper Box Arena, as per the terms of the purse bid won by promoter Frank Warren, if Price withdraws from the fight then Chisora hopes he can entice rival Tyson Fury into the opposite corner next to avenge his July 2011 points loss.
“I’m happy with the win on Saturday night against Pala and now I’m focused on finally becoming world champion next year and bringing the world title back to Britain,”
“Pala gave it a good go and did land some shots early on, but remember he was the third replacement opponent and then when I turned on the power in the third round I got him out of there. I’m pleased with the performance but there is still plenty of room for improvement,”
“I started they year without a boxing license and through hard work and determination I’ve ended the year as the European, WBO Intercontinental and WBA International champion and now I’m in pole position for a world title shot next year,”
“I’ve got myself into fantastic condition and I’m doing the business in the ring, now it’s all steam ahead for the world title. I don’t care who’s in the opposite corner on February 8th, it can be David Price or Tyson Fury, I want that world title and if either of them are in my way they are getting knocked out.”
Also expected to feature on the next multi-title Copper Box Arena show will be Enfield super-middleweight star Frank Buglioni, who captured his first professional title on Saturday night when he destroyed Stepan Horvath with a devastating body shot in the eighth round, plus British and Commonwealth Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders and newly crowned English Welterweight Champion Bradley Skeete. An action-packed undercard with the best up-and-coming talent will also feature.