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Dillian Whyte vs. Derek Chisora
Final Press Conference
Top-rated heavyweight contenders Dillian Whyte and Derek
Chisora took part in the final press conference before their
highly anticipated rematch Saturday, December 22 live on
SHOWTIME at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT from The O2 in London.
Whyte (24-1, 17 KOs) and Chisora (29-8, 21 KOs) will run
back one of 2016’s best fights as the bitter rivals will
continue what they started two years ago with Whyte narrowly
edging Chisora in a close all-out war. The winner will have
the inside track at a possible future mega-fight with IBF,
WBA and WBO Champion Anthony Joshua, who will be in
attendance Saturday night.
The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast is hosted by
Brian Custer and Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood. Live
fight coverage will be provided by Sky Sports Box Office.
Here is what the principals had to say Thursday from the
Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel in London:
DILLIAN WHYTE
“There are levels to this thing and my levels just keep
rising. I keep improving. Derek will see how strong I am
come Saturday night.
“This is boxing and I’m used to people saying, ‘I’m going to
do this or that’ to get into my head. I’ve been around long
enough and heard fighters say ‘I’m going to come out banging
in the first round,’ and then they come and do something
else. So I don’t think Derek himself knows what he’s doing
or where he’s going.
“I respect everyone. It’s a tough job getting in the ring. I
respect everyone from the journeyman to the world champion
of the sport.
“You know me, I do whatever it takes to get the win. I don’t
need to get up and shout, ‘I’m going to do this or that.’ I
just conserve my energy. I’m relaxed. You guys know what I
bring and that I can fight, and I can box, and I can hit.
You guys know my power. So I don’t have to sit here and
scream about what I’m going to do. There will be blood on
Saturday night.”
DEREK CHISORA
“David [Haye] put together the pieces for my training. He
didn’t train me, but he sat me down and said, ‘This is what
we’re going to do to get what we want to get.’ It’s gone
well training-wise and lifestyle-wise. Now it’s time to go
to war and have a great fight.
On his table-throwing episode during the last press
conference two years ago:
“I think the tables are screwed down so you won’t have to
worry about that. I don’t think I’m going to do that
anymore. I do something when I want to do something and now
I’m just happy that training’s gone well and everyone’s fine
in my camp.
“I’m going to bring the same game I do for every fight and
we’re going to come to fight. His coach says that his
fighter will be a boxer and all of that. But truly he’s not
in the ring and Dillian’s the one that has to fight and he’s
going to try to run, or he can meet me in the middle which
would be great for me. Whatever game plan they have is fine.
We will come in and seek and destroy.
“The first fight was a great fight. The boxing fans loved
it. My brain cells didn’t love it but I enjoyed it. We are
going to drown him from the get-go. We know he’s fit, but we
want to see how fit he is. We’re going to go BOOM from the
gates.
“I don’t want this to go to points. I’m going to knock the
sucker out. Hundred percent. I’m going to hit him. I’m going
to pound him.”
MARK TIBBS, Whyte’s Trainer
“Ninety-nine point nine percent of the time, a good boxer
will beat a good brawler. [Dillian] is not only just a good
boxer, he’s a boxer-fighter. We will box and fight our way
to a very good victory. It ain’t going to be easy, but we
will meet him and greet him and beat him to the punch.”
DAVID HAYE, Former Heavyweight Champion and Chisora’s
Manager
“I think Derek has always had in him what he needs to be one
of the best heavyweights on the planet. He’s had
opportunities in the past but hasn’t capitalized on them the
best he could and I think he realizes that now. His
experiences have taught him that he needs to work hard and
make the sacrifices, and that’s what he’s done. He no longer
does the things he used to do and when he stands on the
scales tomorrow, you’ll be able to see.
“I’m very confident and I know he has the capabilities. I’ve
been in there with him, and I’ve felt his power and his
presence in the ring. I’ve seen it. The intensity and
ferocity I’ve seen in sparring shows that he’s coming for
war. I think the first time he didn’t have 12 rounds of war
in him. I think this time he does. I think the power Derek
brings will make Dillian very uncomfortable, but the fans
are going to love it.”
EDDIE HEARN, Head of Matchroom Boxing
“The winner of this fight Saturday night is so important to
the global heavyweight scene and so much is at stake.
“I think the crowd is going to be with Chisora. You know the
British fans love the underdog. What makes this fight
intriguing to the average fan is that these guys are both
characters and very entertaining fighters. At the first
fight I sat next to Wladimir Klitschko and he said, ‘I don’t
think this fight is going to be very good.’ And after three
rounds we looked at each other just shaking our heads.
“The Whyte fight is a big fight for Anthony, but I will
stress again the one fight we want is with [Deontay] Wilder.
We’re talking now. People shouldn’t assume the rematch with
Fury is happening because the deal won’t be that easy. It
never is for a fight of that size. It all depends really on
Wilder; if he wants to be undisputed and if that matters to
him. He can fight Fury after if he believes he can beat A.J.
We don’t get chances very often to have undisputed
champions, and that’s what everyone wants.
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