‘Emotional’ Derek Chisora nears ‘farewell dance’ with Joe Joyce

Derek Chisora spoke of how “emotional” he is feeling heading into Saturday’s fight with Joe Joyce.

The heavyweight, 40, who enters his 48th fight amid growing concerns surrounding his health, has vowed to reach 50 professional contests but insists that Saturday’s fight will be his last at the O2 Arena in London.

It was at the O2 that, against Carlos Takam and Kubrat Pulev he twice revived his punishing career by recording his finest victories. It was also at the O2 that, in the rematch with Dillian Whyte, he was involved in one of his most entertaining fights before suffering a painful defeat.

When he was loudly cheered to the ring that night against Takam it was a demonstration of the extent to which everything he had long given in the ring winning over the British fight crowd despite building his reputation as a pantomime villain.

Joyce, 38, enters Saturday’s fight as the significant favourite for victory, but it the affection from those present will largely exist for the fighter on the opposite side of the ring.

“It’s going to be very emotional,” Chisora said. “This is a farewell dance party for me at the O2 Arena. I think my whole career, I was with Frank [Warren] at the beginning of my career – we are here now, 48th fight. 

“It’s a sad day for me on Saturday – it’s hard to explain because I love the O2 so much, and what a way to go out, fighting at the O2 with Joe Joyce. But I can guarantee you this, if you watch [the first] Dillian Whyte fight, this will be better than that. 

“It’s going to be unbelievable, so don’t even sit down, just stay stood up because I’m going to come and find my man. I’m excited.” 

Should Joyce be convincing on Saturday – after successive stoppage defeats by Zhilei Zhang and the way he laboured to victory over the lightly regarded Kash Ali he, too, has heard calls regarding retirement – he can potentially revive his career in a similar way to that previously seen with Chisora.

His victory over Daniel Dubois in 2020 potentially means he could move into contention for an eventual rematch, but his focus was on Chisora – who was attempting to wind him up – and the recent unsavoury incident between the heavyweight and a delivery driver that was recorded and posted online.

“We’ve all seen you headbutt that delivery guy,” he said. “He didn’t look like a heavyweight either. Why don’t you pick on someone your own size – we’ve got a fight Saturday night? 

“You’re a decent human being aren’t you? Remember this is a sport. Just save it for fight night, don’t get too excited.”

He was also asked about suggestions that Oleksandr Usyk had said that Chisora had the heaviest hands of all of his opponents, and he responded: “I fought [Usyk] in the WSB. He said, ‘Joe Joyce is like a tank and that he didn’t want to fight me’.

“[Chisora] can hit but I can also hit too – and I’m not worried about that. All I’m worried about is what I’m going to be doing and how I’m going to be boxing because I believe I’m the better boxer and I believe I’ve got the better pedigree.”