I will believe it is really going to happen when I see it, but I like the Vitali Klitschko vs. Dereck Chisora match-up. Not that I think Chisora will win in any fashion except a Vitali injury, but he has hung tough with two big men, and now he is getting a shot at one of the best of them all. Normally, I would complain that a fighter coming off two losses (not withstanding the six-round filler bout Chisora won last month) would be getting a title shot, but let’s look at the circumstances.
Last year round this time, Chisora was teased twice into thinking he was getting a shot at Wladimir Klitschko, only to have big Wlad pull out numerous times. When the younger man finally did defend his undisputed title against a smaller Brit, it was David haye. Granted, Chisora deserved that title shot even less than did Haye, but in the interim, Chisora has made his name known. He came in out of shape and uninspired against Tyson Fury, and still managed to win a few rounds. Showing how much he learned in that fight, he came in motivated against heir-apparent Robert Helenius.
Helenius had so impressed us, that many had him as not only the one to supplant Povetkin as number one contender, but even as the one to successfully challenge the Klitschkos. He scored highlight reel KOs over durable fighters, and has the right size to match-up evenly with the Ukrainian champions. According to all I’ve read who saw/scored the Helenius-Chisora match, Chisora was robbed outright. Some scores were as wide as 10 rounds to 2. Not since … ok, well every recent Felix Sturm match… has such a bad score been rendered.
However, proving that corruption dos not always work, Dereck Chisora has been given a shot at Vitali. This leaps him ahead of hype-machines Tyson Fury and David Haye, who most certainly would be cannon-fodder for big Vitali. It is a fair thing to do. Chisora deserved credit for even taking on Fury and Helenius, when he could have just sat in line fighting stiffs until his name came up again, or playing a sanctioning body game to ensure a shot.
When Chisora weighs in at 240-245lbs, he will be a tough man for any heavyweight to beat. The athleticism of both Klitschkos, as well as supreme control of distance, will make it pretty impossible for Chisora to remain competitive. However, he has the chin and tools to last, and if Vitali’s old legs start betraying him, ‘Del Boy’ might just be in the right place at the right time. He deserves it, much more than does Helenius or Haye.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com