An Interview With David Haye

An Interview With David Haye

By Will Lott

A fired up Dereck Chisora could challenge for a world title if he beats Joseph Parker says David Haye!

Dereck Chisora stole the headlines at today’s press conference for Matchroom’s October 26th show featuring Regis Prograis vs Josh Taylor as headliners.

Cue a classic Chisora rant as he told promoter Eddie Hearn to either make his fight with Joseph Parker the headline matchup or offer him more money. A decision Hearn ultimately avoided.

According to Chisora’s promoter, former heavyweight champion David Haye

“He sparred well today and I think he brought some of that aggression over. He was calling out everyone on the top table. All the fighters, the promoters, the Head of Sky Boxing and even Eddie Hearn.”

Chisora has always been a fairly volatile character and today’s antics underlined this.

“That’s Dereck. Everyone knows what he brings to the table. We know he’s a passionate guy. He has no time for foolishness. If he feels a certain way, he’ll let you know.”

With every fight and media event Chisora is involved in, he carries a certain level of aggression. Haye reckons this is down to his shape.

“Normally, this far from the fight, he isn’t really in shape yet so he’s quite on edge. He sparred brilliantly today and he’s ready to go. He’ll spar again on Thursday and has another session to attend later. He is ready to continue his camp and progressing up to October 26th. I believe he truly is going to steal the show.”

Despite his age, Chisora is one of the most in form heavyweights in the world, coming off the back of a destructive knockout of former Deontay Wilder challenger Artur Szpilka.

“That’s the confidence boost he really needed. The fight against Senad Gashi was very underwhelming. He didn’t come to engage. Last time out though he highlighted his attributes which are let your hands go. When you get a man hurt, you don’t look at him and prod out a jab here or there. You go for the knockout and he found it. I believe that is what he is going to do against Joseph Parker from the very first bell.”

Parker is renowned for having a ‘granite’ chin having never been stopped and only been dropped once by Dillian Whyte. Haye questions how much of an onslaught Parker can take.

“I don’t believe he can take 12 rounds of it.”

Parker a former WBO Heavyweight champion is respected by Haye who said.

“I think he’s fantastic. He’s a proven fighter. His 12 round loss to Anthony Joshua showed how good he was. The referee didn’t really allow him to work in that fight and also to put down Dillian Whyte so heavily in that last round after being knocked down a couple of times himself showed his pedigree. He nearly caused the upset victory. It showed how good he is and he took that fight on short notice. This time round he has had plenty of notice. He’s in good shape and already done some work together in Vegas at the roundtable stuff (similar to Sky Sports ‘The Gloves are off’).”

Haye reckons should Chisora come through the fight with Parker.

“The sky is the limit. If he can get the victory here which I believe he can, he’s looking for a world title shot and I believe he’ll get it.”

“The winner of Anthony Joshua vs Andy Ruiz Jr for me is the obvious go to because Parker is the only person to beat Ruiz so far. If AJ gets the victory, I believe it’s an easy fight to make given both work closely with Eddie Hearn. Even if he doesn’t I believe it’s a fight Ruiz Jr would like as it’s a fun fight for the fans. Both fighters are very come forward and know it will be a barnstormer. Whoever wins the rematch I think is the automatic fight for Dereck if he wins.”

Despite Chisora’s anger at his deal and not being the main event, Haye doesn’t see much chance of the deal being changed.

“The deal is the deal. Dereck’s got a good deal for this fight. I think he didn’t like the poster and didn’t feel on equal parity. His picture was a tad smaller so that rubbed him up the wrong way. He’s quite sensitive at the moment and he’s firing on all cylinders. A few adjustments and phone calls and I think we can get Dereck back in the room.”

Most boxing talk at the moment is surrounding Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia. Haye said

“I think it’s a great fight for the fans. They really need to get behind AJ. He will need to put on a career best performance. Last time he was definitely under par. He wasn’t himself so I think he needs to really understand that this is his make or break fight. It’s a must win fight.”

Some fans and pundits have questioned whether Joshua has made the right decision taking the automatic rematch with Ruiz. Haye however believes he’s made the right choice.

“I’m really happy that he was positive about making this rematch. If he was undecided or even considered having a couple of fights in between, for me would have suggested he thought Ruiz was better. In every single interview I’ve seen he wants the rematch. That lets me know he believes that wasn’t the best version of him that night. If it was, it might go the other way but he knows he was under par and there is more to give. That’s given me added confidence.”

Before there can be any talk of an all British world title fight with Anthony Joshua, Dereck Chisora must get past Joseph Parker on October 26th.