Haye vows to “punish” Chisora in grudge match

David Haye and Derek Chisora will square up on Saturday night in one of the most eagerly anticipated heavyweight bouts in the modern era. 

The pair have had to be separated by a steel fence in their four meetings leading up to the fight and promoter Frank Warren has declared there will be “huge sparks and fireworks” on the night.

The bad blood between the pair started at a press conference in February after Chisora had lost to Vitali Klitschko, when Haye interrupted and demanded answers from Vitali why a match against himself had not been arranged. 

When Chisora confronted the former heavyweight champion, he was struck in the face by Haye, with Chisora threatening to ‘shoot’ Haye after the fracas.

At a feisty weigh in, Haye claimed it was up to him to punish Chisora. “He’s not a nice man,” said Haye. “He’s a horrible, spiteful man and a bully…The law hasn’t punished him, so it’s left to me to punish him.”

Haye was weighed in at his lightest weight ever in a heavyweight bout, with Chisora weighing more than two and half stone more than the 30-year-old and ‘Del Boy’ reckons Haye’s age and stamina will play into his hands. 

“He’s got speed for one round – after I dance with him he’s not going to have any speed. I know for a fact [there are question marks over his stamina] and we’ll find that out.”

After the controversial fight in Munich, the pair had their licences revoked by the British Boxing Board of Control, and the fight has been sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation, and despite the BBBC claiming anybody involved in the fight would have their licences revoked, over 29,000 tickets have been sold.

The hatred between the pair is intense and the war of words will turn into action at Upton Park on Saturday night. Hold onto your hats; this is going to be a big one.

Dean Mears