Heavyweight Joseph Parker reveals there’s a lot more than just the title on the line in his next fight against Dereck Chisora. Video / NZ Herald
Derek Chisora has questioned the validity of Joseph Parker's WBO title victory over Andy Ruiz in 2016, suggesting if that fight was held outside New Zealand, the result would have been different.
Parker captured the WBO crown against Ruiz at Spark Arena via a tight majority decision victory. Two judges scored the bout 115-113 in Parker's favour, while one ruled it a 114-114 draw, to spark jubilant scenes in Auckland.
The Kiwi-Samoan heavyweight made two successful title defences against former sparring partner Razvan Cojanu and Tyson Fury's cousin, Hughie, in 2017 before losing to Anthony Joshua in Cardiff early the following year.
After losing to Parker, Ruiz won his next three fights and then stunned Joshua at Madison Square Garden in 2019 to claim the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO titles.
British heavyweight boxer Dereck Chisora attends a bout between British boxer Anthony Joshua and his American rival Andy Ruiz Jr. Photo / Getty Images.
Asked to assess Parker's now 28-2 career ahead of their fight in Manchester next week, Chisora told the Herald: "Joseph as a fighter he won't go in the books as a great heavyweight. He's never brought anything to the table that people have been like 'oh wow'.
"He hasn't done anything we haven't seen before. I believe if he was fighting for the WBO title and it was in Vegas or anywhere else with Andy Ruiz, I think Andy would have won that fight. When he won the world title we thought he was going to bring something special to the game. He didn't bring nothing special.
"We've seen all the stuff he does in the amateurs. I hope when he fights me he brings something special and I can be like 'oh wow, this is good'."
Chisora comes off a unanimous decision defeat to undefeated Oleksandr Usyk last October - the Ukrainian's second win since moving up from cruiserweight.
At 37 years old and with a 32-10 record, Chisora is very much in the twilight of his career but he remains heavy handed and supremely confident of taking Parker into deep waters by stalking him all fight on May 2.
Always a colourful character, Chisora continues to bait Parker. On Wednesday he posted a video clip of rhinoceroses mounting each other and suggesting that's what he will do to Parker.
"I'm fit, I'm ready, I'm going to go to him," Chisora said. "We don't want to play a boxing game of you hit me I hit you. I'm going to keep hitting him. I'm going to try and drown him.
"I'm going to drown myself first and then him afterwards. I'm going to keep pounding leather, bro. When you keep throwing leather people get into a panic stage so we're going to be chucking leather all day long.
"The last guy who boxed like me was Carlos Takam but he had a long flight coming there because you guys live so far away.
"Game plans are alright when you're in the gym. I'll throw power punches to slow him down and then get him."
Like Parker, who ended his long-standing Kevin Barry partnership to link with Andy Lee, Chisora has a new trainer for this fight in Buddy McGirt, the 2002 Boxing Writers Association of America coach of the year.
"He's not changing so much he's just improving it," Chisora said. "He's not changing my style he's just teaching me the other stuff in boxing which I've forgotten a little bit. It's going well."
Despite being out of title contention Chisora seemingly has no imminent retirement plans.
Derek Chisora celebrates victory over David Price during their heavyweight fight at The O2 Arena on October 26, 2019 in London, England. Photo / Getty Images.
"Every fight is important. I've lost so many fights and I've won many but you have to keep pushing. You can't stop because people tell you you've lost too many times so you can't box any more. I don't believe in that nonsense. As long as the public want to pay and watch me fight, I'll fight.
"I enjoy fighting, I love boxing. As long as I can wake up in the morning and want to train, I will fight. I will take it to Joe. I hope he's got some good tricks because I've got more than him."
Tyson Fury recently told Parker if he can't win this fight he needs to seriously consider his future in the sport. Chisora, though, believes Parker has time on his side.
"Joe is too young. He can come back. I am old, I'm 37. He's just a pup. He needs to bring something special. We're going to take it to him."
Chisora delivered something of a reality check for Parker's title aspirations, however, with Joshua and Fury set to tie up the belts.
"Dillian Whyte has been waiting for a title shot for the last four or five years so it's a long wait for Joe."
