After the unacceptable pre-fight antics of Dereck Chisora slapping Vitali Klitschko (and later spitting water at Wladimir Klitschko), Chisora seemed to partly redeem himself (as a fighter rather than a person) to some boxing fans. His performance showed more heart than many thought he would bring to the ring.
I thought Chisora would crumble under the pressure of the occasion and would be defeated by Klitschko in scenes that could resemble Ivan Drago vs Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. Fortunately for Chisora, and with all credit to him, I was wrong. He took several big shots that would have floored many fighters in what has become such a lacklustre heavyweight division and went the distance against an experienced (yet ageing) champion in Klitschko. His pre-fight behaviour was deplorable but he could take solace in his gutsy performance. That was until it was overshadowed by the scenes at the post-fight press conference.
David Haye, who attended the fight as a summariser for BoxNation, had also attended the post-match press conference. However, when the Klitschkos’ manager, Bernd Boente and Haye began an exchange about the failed negotiations for a fight between Vitali Klitschko and Haye, it prefigured the eventual confrontation between Haye and Chisora. Add a character as volatile as Chisora, Frank Warren’s and Bernd Boente's disdain for Haye and Haye’s hurt pride after losing to Wladimir Klitschko, and on reflection some confrontation was probably inevitable. Not to mention Chisora has previously made his dislike of Haye clear in interviews and claimed they’d eventually fight inside or out of the ring. That may have just been trash talk but now the latter has actually happened.
The brawl between Haye and Chisora was clearly bad for British boxing and boxing overall. Neither Haye’s nor Chisora’s pre-fight conduct in the build up to their fights with Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko respectively went down well with many boxing fans. Many felt they had gone too far beyond the pantomime often required to sell tickets and PPV buys in boxing. But their brawl has taken this to another level that many fans and pundits outside of the UK especially will use to criticise British boxers and indeed British fight fans.
Everyone involved was culpable. Bernd Boente could have refrained from goading Haye (and therefore encouraging Chisora) as could Frank Warren. Chisora could have kept it verbal and stayed in his seat and Haye could have chosen not to respond to Boente or Chisora and risen above their bait. Many will blame Haye for throwing the first punch. However, with a man as unstable as Chisora in his face, and given Chisora’s previous threats, I doubt he was ever going to rely on the confrontation remaining non-physical.
Haye’s manager and trainer Adam Booth was cut during the melee and Haye certainly hurt a bloodied Chisora who would already have been bruised after 12 rounds with Klitschko. It mirrored something out of WWE rather than the sweet science. Immediately following the brawl, Chisora also threatened to “shoot” Haye and the German police are now involved. If he hadn’t gone too far with his earlier antics, Chisora has now taken it much further. The British Boxing Board of Control is bound to take action against Chisora for his televised (and now viral) threat to shoot Haye and he could even lose his licence. Haye, although not having renewed his licence since his “retirement”, could also face difficulties in doing so for future fights given his conduct at the press conference.
Haye has made it clear that he wants to come out of “retirement” to face either Klitschko brother and that he wants no one but them. But given his hiatus from the ring since his defeat to Wladimir, one or two fights to address any ring rust could be worthwhile before taking on Vitali. After Chisora’s performance against Vitali, he could have been a possible opponent for Haye in a domestic match-up with the bad blood between the fighters helping to generate interest. Nevertheless, in a fight where Haye would hold most of the cards as the bigger attraction, he may not want anything to do with Chisora now. Conversely, he may now relish the opportunity to finish what has become an extremely personal feud which would lead to claims that the fracas was somewhat staged. I doubt it was, at least not to the extent of the scenes that actually occurred.
Chisora came off very badly in the build up to the fight, only to partly redeem himself as being worthy of a shot with a performance that showed heart. But now he has greatly sullied his character and the sport yet again. And while many saw Haye’s presence at the press conference antagonistic, Boente, Warren and Chisora gave him the platform for what would later ensue. Indeed, I blame Boente and Warren as much as Chisora and Haye as they knew full well what was likely to happen. You can even see the slyness in Warren’s demeanour as Chisora gets up to approach Haye.
Boxing is often accused of being a violent sport by those that don’t understand the discipline, dedication and heart it requires and scenes from the post-fight press conference will only have served to reinforce such flawed views. The hype is sometimes necessary to sell fights but Chisora crossed that line on more than one occasion. Chisora’s trainer, Don Charles, was vocal about being underwhelmed by the slap Chisora gave Vitali at the weigh in and even he may now have had enough of Chisora to prompt him to walk. Add Chisora’s fate at the hands of the BBBoC and his immediate future in boxing does not look rosy. Worse still, boxing itself has taken another hit in its reputation.
I thought Chisora would crumble under the pressure of the occasion and would be defeated by Klitschko in scenes that could resemble Ivan Drago vs Apollo Creed in Rocky IV. Fortunately for Chisora, and with all credit to him, I was wrong. He took several big shots that would have floored many fighters in what has become such a lacklustre heavyweight division and went the distance against an experienced (yet ageing) champion in Klitschko. His pre-fight behaviour was deplorable but he could take solace in his gutsy performance. That was until it was overshadowed by the scenes at the post-fight press conference.
David Haye, who attended the fight as a summariser for BoxNation, had also attended the post-match press conference. However, when the Klitschkos’ manager, Bernd Boente and Haye began an exchange about the failed negotiations for a fight between Vitali Klitschko and Haye, it prefigured the eventual confrontation between Haye and Chisora. Add a character as volatile as Chisora, Frank Warren’s and Bernd Boente's disdain for Haye and Haye’s hurt pride after losing to Wladimir Klitschko, and on reflection some confrontation was probably inevitable. Not to mention Chisora has previously made his dislike of Haye clear in interviews and claimed they’d eventually fight inside or out of the ring. That may have just been trash talk but now the latter has actually happened.
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Everyone involved was culpable. Bernd Boente could have refrained from goading Haye (and therefore encouraging Chisora) as could Frank Warren. Chisora could have kept it verbal and stayed in his seat and Haye could have chosen not to respond to Boente or Chisora and risen above their bait. Many will blame Haye for throwing the first punch. However, with a man as unstable as Chisora in his face, and given Chisora’s previous threats, I doubt he was ever going to rely on the confrontation remaining non-physical.
Haye’s manager and trainer Adam Booth was cut during the melee and Haye certainly hurt a bloodied Chisora who would already have been bruised after 12 rounds with Klitschko. It mirrored something out of WWE rather than the sweet science. Immediately following the brawl, Chisora also threatened to “shoot” Haye and the German police are now involved. If he hadn’t gone too far with his earlier antics, Chisora has now taken it much further. The British Boxing Board of Control is bound to take action against Chisora for his televised (and now viral) threat to shoot Haye and he could even lose his licence. Haye, although not having renewed his licence since his “retirement”, could also face difficulties in doing so for future fights given his conduct at the press conference.
Haye has made it clear that he wants to come out of “retirement” to face either Klitschko brother and that he wants no one but them. But given his hiatus from the ring since his defeat to Wladimir, one or two fights to address any ring rust could be worthwhile before taking on Vitali. After Chisora’s performance against Vitali, he could have been a possible opponent for Haye in a domestic match-up with the bad blood between the fighters helping to generate interest. Nevertheless, in a fight where Haye would hold most of the cards as the bigger attraction, he may not want anything to do with Chisora now. Conversely, he may now relish the opportunity to finish what has become an extremely personal feud which would lead to claims that the fracas was somewhat staged. I doubt it was, at least not to the extent of the scenes that actually occurred.
Chisora came off very badly in the build up to the fight, only to partly redeem himself as being worthy of a shot with a performance that showed heart. But now he has greatly sullied his character and the sport yet again. And while many saw Haye’s presence at the press conference antagonistic, Boente, Warren and Chisora gave him the platform for what would later ensue. Indeed, I blame Boente and Warren as much as Chisora and Haye as they knew full well what was likely to happen. You can even see the slyness in Warren’s demeanour as Chisora gets up to approach Haye.
Boxing is often accused of being a violent sport by those that don’t understand the discipline, dedication and heart it requires and scenes from the post-fight press conference will only have served to reinforce such flawed views. The hype is sometimes necessary to sell fights but Chisora crossed that line on more than one occasion. Chisora’s trainer, Don Charles, was vocal about being underwhelmed by the slap Chisora gave Vitali at the weigh in and even he may now have had enough of Chisora to prompt him to walk. Add Chisora’s fate at the hands of the BBBoC and his immediate future in boxing does not look rosy. Worse still, boxing itself has taken another hit in its reputation.
