Derek Chisora thinks he's the only heavyweight who can beat Oleksandr Usyk. He bases this claim on their previous fight and what he's seen of Usyk's recent training.
Chisora, nicknamed 'Del Boy', fought Usyk in 2020. The fight was Usyk's second in the heavyweight division after moving up and vacating his undisputed cruiserweight title. Chisora put Usyk under a lot of pressure early on, but lost steam as the fight went on. Usyk won by unanimous decision, with scores of 115-113, 115-113, and 117-11.
After that fight, Usyk went on to beat Anthony Joshua twice, winning and then defending three of the four major heavyweight belts. He also defended his titles against Daniel Dubois. Most recently, Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion by beating Tyson Fury in a split decision.
Now, with Usyk and Fury set for a rematch this month, Chisora has shared his thoughts. In an interview with FightHub TV, he predicted Usyk will win again.
"Fury's sparring partners aren't pushing him hard enough. They're in awe of Tyson and pull their punches. Usyk will start fast, finish fast, and try to hurt Fury. He won't leave Fury alone."
Chisora also claimed he's the only heavyweight who can beat Usyk, saying he lost only one round in their previous fight. Opinions are split on how tough Usyk found that fight, but Usyk did show great respect to Chisora afterward and said Chisora hit him the hardest of any opponent.
While Usyk prepares for Fury, Chisora isn't sitting idle. He's getting ready for his 49th professional fight against Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin. Chisora will need to bring his A-game if he wants to back up his bold claim about being the only man who can beat Usyk.
