Derek Chisora is looking to box Deontay Wilder in his 50th professional fight, and promoter Kalle Sauerland believes that contest is “close” to being made.
Chisora has been a fixture of British heavyweight boxing for the last 15 years and has fought a litany of the finest boxers in the world, including Tyson Fury (three times), Oleksandr Usyk, Vitali Klitschko and many more.
America’s Wilder is a former WBC heavyweight world champion, regarded as the hardest puncher in the sport at his peak and also a man who has battled Fury three times.
Sauerland told Sky Sports: “Very excited being so close to getting the fight done. It’s, I think, an absolute blockbuster of a heavyweight fight with two of the biggest names in the current heavyweight division.”
He added: “Both men have faced all the names from Vitali Klitschko through to Tyson Fury and have been involved in some of the most historic heavyweight boxing nights over the last decade.
“For the British public the nostalgia that has grown with Derek Chisora is absolutely immense.
“If you think of the fighters and the fights he’s faced, it’s simply unbelievable. I couldn’t count the amount of world champions he’s faced and Derek, when it’s on the big stage, is never in a bad fight. There’s some absolute classics.”
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Barry Jones and Don Charles both believe Deontay Wilder is underestimating Derek Chisora and that fight would be all wrong for ‘The Bronze Bomber’
Queensberry, who promote Chisora, declined to comment.
Chisora though has posted a video on social media declaring his intention to box Wilder.
The fight with America’s Wilder however could be Chisora’s last. The hugely popular veteran is now 42 years old.
Wilder himself is 40 years old and the Alabama man fought just once last year, claiming a seventh-round knockout win over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon as he returned from a stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang. Like Chisora, Wilder has also had 49 professional fights.
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Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora face off for the first time ahead of their heavyweight clash. Courtesy of IBA.Pro.
Sauerland certainly thinks the loser of the potential Chisora-Wilder clash would retire.
“I think either way the sport would lose, after that fight, a massive part of this heavyweight generation’s history because I think one would step down after that fight,” he said.
“So it’s literally last man standing. It’s a fight that resembles a Hollywood film, it’s not far off Rocky.
“A fight that is a true 50-50. The public would not be able to split them before the fight and it’s those sort of fights that really engage the boxing world, especially at heavyweight and especially with two massive heavyweight names with absolutely everything on the line.”
