by James Slater – Today, on the Steve Bunce Boxing Hour on Setanta Sports, it was revealed how promoter Frank Warren has issued a challenge to reigning British heavyweight champion Danny Williams. Warren promotes the unbeaten, 9-0(5), Derek Chisora, and the plan is for the Zimbabwe-born Londoner to face the 35-year-old “Brixton Bomber” on the under-card of the June 27th Amir Khan-Andriy Kotelnik show at The O2 in London..
This is a quite audacious move on the part of Warren, yet he says he feels Chisora is ready for the British champion who once famously smashed former world champion Mike Tyson to defeat inside four rounds.
“I am throwing out a challenge to Danny Williams for him to fight Derek Chisora, who I feel is ready even after just nine fights,” Warren said.
It’s likely many American fans will not have even heard of Chisora, much less seen him fight. A fine amateur who won the ABA super-heavyweight title in 2005, Chisora is a 6’1.5,” approx 250-pounder who has shown fast hands and a decent enough punch. Accused by some of being a little too casual when it comes to training, the fighter nicknamed “Del Boy” (after the hugely popular U.K comedy show “Only Fools And Horses”) has carried his weight well enough so far.
Making his pro debut back in Feb. of 2007, the 25-year-old has fought all his bouts in the U.K, with all but one of them taking place in London. Meeting the usual so-so opposition that all fighters box against on the way up, Chisora also has one quite eye-catching win to his name. Putting the only loss on the record of upcoming Martin Rogan foe Sam Sexton, “Del Boy” TKO’d Sexton in the 6th round last June. Having fought at recently as January of this year, Chisora will likely box once more before his June 27th date (Chisora has a spot on the O2 card, whether he fights Williams then or not).
Fans certainly know a lot more about the man Chisora may or may not be sharing a ring with next month. Williams, a notoriously unreliable fighter by his own admission, can look great in one fight and lousy in the next. This past Saturday, on a night when all eyes were fixated on the ring inside The MGM Grand arena in Las Vegas, Danny fought and out-pointed “Big Bad” John McDermott. Defending his British belt in a rematch of a July 2008 clash that some felt McDermott should have won on points, the 35-year-old came in at a good weight (for him) of 262 pounds.
Knowing his very career was on the chopping block, Williams fought hard against his challenger and scraped another close decision. In the past, motivation has proven a tough thing for Danny to get enough off, but not this past Saturday night. Danny may fail to get “up” for a fight against the still unproven Chisora, though.
Basically, it’s up to Danny and what he wants to do. Warren has thrown him a challenge, and it’s tough to know right now what the former world title challenger will make of it. He may find the offer somewhat insulting – with the idea of him being deemed beatable by such a relative novice going deeply against the grain. Or he may look at the opportunity as an easy pay day that will come on a high profile bill.
Danny would certainly enter the fight, if it is made, as a fairly big favourite. Having forgotten more than Chisora will have learnt about boxing at this point in time, Williams will surely feel he would win should he take the bait and accept the fight. On the other hand, is the 41-7(31) British ruler ready to be taken? Danny’s had a long career, and during it he’s been in a number of wars.
A most intriguing fight that at present is nothing more than an idea, a Williams-Chisora fight would make a fine June 27th under-card bout at the very least.