Heavyweight Dereck Chisora believes a win over Oleksandr Usyk will lead to a third shot at Tyson Fury – providing the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ lives up to his word.
Chisora 32-9 (23) faces former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk 17-0 (13) at Wembley Arena in London next Saturday night.
In 2011, Chisora lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Fury and was stopped on his stool at the end of the 10th in their 12-round British and European title fight three years later.
He says WBC heavyweight champion Fury 30-0-1 (21) has promised him a third fight to round out their trilogy.
“I think it would be a great fight to have with ‘The Gypsy King’, because he’s always promised me a third fight. He owes me anyway, because we speak every day, and he owes me that fight,” Chisora said to Sky Sports.
“He’s always saying he wants to give me another fight, so he’s a man of his word, so that would be the fight I would like to have.”
This month Fury announced he would not be facing former champion Deontay Wilder for a third time after claiming the American power-puncher wanted to push their proposed December clash out to 2021.
He said he will instead return to the ring in London on December 5.
“I’d just like to announce I’m definitely fighting December the 5th in London,” Fury said in a video posted to social media on Saturday. “Opponent to be announced very, very soon.”
Two of the frontrunners to face Fury are Carlos Takam and Agit Kabayel, two fighters Chisora has already faced. He lost a 12-round majority decision to Kabayel in 2017 and stopped Takam in eight the following year.
Despite the rivalry with Fury in the ring, Chisora says they remain on friendly terms outside the ropes. He even gets on well with WBA, WBO and IBF champion Anthony Joshua.
“You know what, I get on with everybody, but when it comes to fight, it’s fight time,” Chisora said.
“It’s just business. After all, when the gloves are off, it’s all hugs and kisses, so if it happens, it happens.”
Takam 39-5-1 (28) lost his only world title bid against Joshua in London three years ago, lasting 10 rounds with the heavy-punching champ.
Joe DeGuardia, the president of Star Boxing, who co-promotes Takam alongside Top Rank, told Sky Sports: “Certainly I believe that, when you look at who is out there and who is available, Carlos would probably be the best guy out there to fight Fury.
“Kabayel is undefeated and that’s something good for him and he’s got a nice victory, but it would be good for Kabayel if he had a little more experience before fighting somebody like Fury.
“Carlos certainly has that experience.”
The undefeated Kabayel 20-0 (13) is a previous European champion but he hasn’t mixed with the calibre of opposition that Takam has.
DeGuardia is confident a decision on Fury’s next opponent is imminent.
“This would be something that’s going to happen relatively soon,” he said.
