Going into Saturday night’s fight with Otto Wallin, it was pointed out by people that during his almost at an end career, British heavyweight legend Derek Chisora pretty much fought ALL the big names he could have fought, bar two – Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. But Chisora, who has been in the ring with – Vitali Klitschko, Tyson Fury, David Haye, Dillian Whyte, Robert Helenius, Carlos Takam, Joe Joyce, Joseph Parker, Oleksandr Usyk, David Price, Kubrat Pulev, Agit Kabayel, and others (phew!) – could now get a massive fight with Joshua.
Speaking after his decision win over Wallin, this in his 49th pro bout, Chisora said the fight with AJ “will happen if the public really wants it.”
Well, do YOU really want to see it? Chisora says, correctly, that he has earned “something big” for his career finale, his 50th fight, and he listed his three-fight wish list after taking care of Wallin: AJ, Usyk in a rematch, and Daniel Dubois. Which of these fights is most likely to happen, if any?
Chisora, 36-13(23) and Joshua, 28-4(25) go way back, the two being friendly for years, but as the pro careers of both men developed and went on it seemed they would never fight one another. Joshua became an elite heavyweight, a world champion and a global star, while Chisora never managed to scale the same heights. But now, with Joshua needing yet another rebuild, this time after being crushed by Dubois, might see a fight with Chisora as a good, indeed sensible way back. And as Chisora says, if there is genuinely big fan interest in the fight, then it could happen.
Go back a couple of years, and most fans would have told you AJ would flatten Chisora, possibly quite quickly. Yet today, this fight could actually be a competitive affair. It really is testament to Chisora’s constant drive and love for the sport that he has lasted as long as he has lasted, and as he showed against Wallin, he still has something left in the tank. While the current version of Joshua might just be vulnerable enough for Chisora to beat him, maybe via decision. It’s quite amazing to say it, but there would be no absolute clear favourite if 41 year old Chisora and 35 year old Joshua got it on.
Would there? Imagine if Chisora did get the AJ fight, and won it! Whereas who would win if Chisora got a fight with the aforementioned Wilder? Might Chisora be seen as the favourite to win that one, should it happen?
Whoever he fights in his finale, Chisora wants someone big. And again, he’s earned it.
