Fury vs Chisora: Third Time Unlucky

Fury vs Chisora: Third Time Unlucky

Neither of their previous two fights was in any way competitive. We didn’t really need a second fight between the pair back in 2014, despite the reported bad blood of the time, and eight years later, we certainly don’t need a third. It is boxing’s equivalent of the Return of the Jedi, a trilogy closing show that can’t fail to disappoint. But at least the opening two acts in the Star Wars franchise left us wanting another episode despite the obvious failures of the third film. We can’t say the same with Fury and Chisora, although Jedi mind tricks have come in useful in trying to convince the masses of the legitimacy of the fight. Good luck with that. Arguments of it just being a stay-busy fight and Chisora being the highest-ranked available heavyweight contender in the Boxrec rankings haven’t convinced many. In all seriousness. How could it?

It might just be indicative of where boxing is today, that on Saturday night they will indeed do battle for a third time. If battle really is the word. It looks more akin to an old pal’s act. Doing that old friend a favour. Although I struggle with which side of the ring that favour lies. In truth, it’s of mutual benefit. Boxing News has the headline, ‘Friends Reunited’ and that is exactly what we have. A glorified sparring session, an exhibition. Take your pick. Nothing can really disguise what we have.

We could have been looking at Tyson Fury fighting Anthony Joshua instead of what has been shamelessly served up. With a little bit of compromise and patience, a little less of the silly, pointless, tiresome and self-harming deadline-induced Social Media videos and tweets, we could have had a genuinely good all-British world heavyweight title fight on our hands. Instead, I’m not sure we even have got a fight. Certainly not a competitive one. And if by some miracle, the fight resembles a competitive spectacle, that is probably an even worse scenario.

There were in truth, other more viable heavyweight contenders available. The argument thrown out by some that they couldn’t sell as well as Chisora is just rubbish, and quite frankly, insulting. Isn’t Tyson Fury supposed to be the biggest star in British boxing? Does he really need a Derek Chisora on the other side of the poster to sell enough tickets for the show to prosper? Chisora despite his immense service to his craft shouldn’t be fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world. He hasn’t earned it and he most certainly doesn’t deserve it.

The hope for the moneymen is that enough people and bots have been convinced or hoodwinked into investing their limited resources into making the balance sheet a comfortable read once Fury has dealt with his old mate however he saw fit. I am not sure if I should be impressed by the sheer audacity to put these two heavyweights together again in a cost-of-living crisis and in an outside stadium in the middle of a UK winter. Or despair that they think enough people will be gullible enough to save the show. But we are here, and all we can do is hope for the best. Sometimes in boxing, hope is all we have.

Fury shouldn’t be fighting Chisora again. Chisora shouldn’t be fighting period. At 38, the old heavyweight warhorse is fading fast. I was ringside late last year when Joseph Parker dropped Chisora three times en route to a points victory. Chisora was as heroic as ever in seeing the fight out, but it was more than an uncomfortable watch. Thoughts more than flickered to what lies ahead for Chisora. The multiple thundering punches he received that night in Manchester may never leave his body, further punches absorbed will leave Chisora facing an uncertain future. But by ignoring the calls to retire, Chisora is making his future far more certain. Boxing needs to start caring a little more.

They last fought in 2014 at London’s ExCeL Arena. Fury won every round, nearly every single of their rematch. The show ran over an hour late and I’m not sure if the second fight was stopped to save Derek Chisora or the dwindling crowd and viewers at home further punishment. Trust me, it was that kind of fight. That kind of night. Fury is a much better fighter now, and Chisora is now a badly diminished one, even the win over Kubrat Pulev highlighted that. In the immediate aftermath of his first win in four fights, there were even calls from his inner circle for him to fight Deontay Wilder. Very much thoughts of the dirty dollar and not a legitimate concern for their fighter’s health. Win, lose or draw against Fury, the sad thing is Chisora will fight on. Chisora will have enough promoters offering him enough money to give him yet another must-win fight. It needs to end. And now.

Fury is almost certainly the best heavyweight on the planet right now, but he is a walking contradiction at times and from his side of the promotion there have been plenty of uncomfortable moments trying to justify the fight on Saturday night. The criticism hasn’t been taken well, but the concerns over the fight are not misplaced. There have been many worse world heavyweight title fights, but that shouldn’t afford this one a free pass, especially when fighters of the modern day are on such a reduced schedule. Sadly, too many people accept the mediocrity that they are given. In many ways, we only have ourselves to blame. We are very much part of the problem.

Unless Fury has taken Chisora too lightly, he will likely win as he pleases at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Fury will do enough of the showboating to occupy and entertain the all-too-willing punters. Chisora will press forward and give what his old body will allow him to. It won’t be enough, or anywhere near enough. If Chisora makes it into the second half of the fight I will be surprised and Fury will have been kind.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images