“It’s About Size, It’s About Weight” – David Haye on Usyk vs Chisora

by Kris Anthony (krisanthonyboxing@gmail.com)

So October 31st it is! But will Oleksandr Usyk get a fright as he goes up against tried and tested Derek Chisora?

David Haye has his view. Haye moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight and knows all about the jump up in weight.

“I believe his chances of winning on October 31 are significantly higher than earlier in the year, because he has spent every day, effectively, focusing on a tricky southpaw” Haye told Sky Sports News.

“In his fight with [Senad] Gashi (in April 2019), he wasn’t quite there. You saw the improvement against Artur Szpilka, who was much more effective with his counter-punching but that was unable to affect Derek. He put the pressure on him, Derek let his hands go and really did a number on him. That is the type of Derek we need.

“Since that fight he has drummed himself with southpaws, tricky guys, so come fight night, he is able to put 12 rounds of action together.

“If you look at his record, what he has done as an amateur, world champion, Olympic gold medalist, undisputed, never lost, he has won every single belt there is to win,” Haye added. “He has done it all and Derek has lost nine fights. If you look at his record against Derek’s, you only think there is going to be one winner.

“But what Usyk doesn’t understand is that the heavyweight division is very different to every other division in boxing. It’s about size, it’s about weight and, ask Povetkin, it takes one shot to turn the tide. Anything can happen in the heavyweight division. The gaps he used are getting filled in. He is going to cause an upset and he is going to shock so many people, because he has dedicated his life to it.

“He knows this is his last chance. He is 36, against the No.1 WBO mandatory challenger. He has to take that from him and he is then in the top five in the world and we are talking about huge mega fights against the big names.”

Usyk is the favourite with his undoubted pedigree and yes, I am sure Chisora will come in motivated, properly trained and more than ‘up for it.’ But I can only see it one way, and that is a Usyk points win.

Usyk handled Joe Joyce in the WSB in 2012, and has been the smaller man a number of times. With his ground in amateur pedigree, this will be the difference. How far that will take Usyk is to be seen. Eventually he will face a puncher like Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder, that is where the question mark is….can he take a hard punching heavyweights shot?

Chisora will give some answers, but not all. Regardless, I am sure it will be a good fight come Halloween.