On Saturday in London (England), local WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) will have a third fight with compatriot Derek Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs).
Fans and observers are not happy with the choice of an opponent, because Fury had previously confidently beat Chisora twice.
And here is their legendary countryman Lennox Lewis
advises do not rush to conclusions: “I am trying to imagine myself in the place of Chisora. You fought twice with an opponent, twice lost to him. And ahead of you is a fight with him for the championship title. How will you act? I think you will do everything possible to win the third fight. You will do everything and even a little more. You will do everything that was not enough in the previous two fights.
According to Lewis, Chisora will have a solid advantage in motivation: “He has a goal. What he thought about every day of his life. Defeating Fury is the title of world champion. This is what he always aspired to. Anyone in Chisora’s place would have done everything to win. On the other hand, there is Fury. And no matter how he tries to wind himself up, there will be an underestimation. He will go into battle slightly relaxed, because he believes that Chisora is no match for him. Pretty much every fighter has had fights like this where they underestimated the guy in front of them. They underestimated the dude who entered the ring not to serve the number, but with the intention of knocking you out. Loss of focus always threatens to defeat by knockout.
“Yes, such things have happened to many. Including me,” Lewis smiles. “So Fury would do well to remember that if Chisora gets his fist to the target, he might well knock it out.” He needs to take this fight as seriously as possible. The good thing about Fury and his trainer Sugar Hill is that they know that.”
In case of victory, Fury will meet at the beginning of next year with Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (20-0, 13 KOs) – they will fight for the title of absolute world champion. Lewis believes that “for Fury, the fight with Chisora is an attempt to work out some of the moments that they are preparing for Usyk. And, of course, he is in order to stay in shape. Fury needs a fight for the title of the absolute in order to stand on a par with me, Muhammad Ali and
Jack Johnson. He can even beat the next wave of heavyweights. But the primary goal is the title of the absolute. He can’t finish his career without a fight with Usyk.”
Lewis praises the Ukrainian: “Great fighter. Smart, moves well. He was an absolute division below. It is imperative to prepare for it with all seriousness, because he has already achieved more than was expected of him. And I think he has a solid chance of beating Fury. I know he won’t step into the ring for a check. He will come out with the goal of becoming the undisputed world champion. But Fury is also very difficult. He is either right-handed or left-handed. He goes to the exchange and then moves around the ring like Ali. He can box with his hands down, he has great hand speed, he’s very awkward, he’s hard to hit. Who will win? These are two great craftsmen. Everything can be decided not even by strength, not by power, not by technique, but by psychology.”
Fury said yesterday that “Cunningham would have beaten Usyk anyway.” Meanwhile, Chisora insists on his own: “Let’s call a spade a spade – I won against Alexander.”
