Dereck ?Del Boy? Chisora did not take Vitali Klitschko?s WBC heavyweight title on Saturday night. However, in going the 12-round distance and actually giving the Ukrainian giant a fight instead of simply soaking up punishment like a punching bag with legs, Chisora garnered respect in defeat, and has established himself as a player in an admittedly lackluster division.
But his antics before and after the fight are what define Del Boy as a sort of super-sized Ricardo Mayorga ? a rowdyman of the ring. Although the career of Mayorga, who fluctuates between welterweight and junior-middleweight, is just about over, during his heyday in the early 2000, he was a rough-and-tumble character in the ring and a wild man outside the ropes, given to trash talk and physical intimidation of his opponents during press conferences and in pre-fight instructions. At his peak, he stuck out his chin and taunted Vernon Forrest, beating the more talented boxer twice, antics notwithstanding.
Chisora is picking up where Mayorga left off. At the weigh-in, Del Boy slapped Klitschko?s face. Before the fight started, Chisora spat a mouthful of water at Vitali?s brother, Wladimir, who had twice pulled out of scheduled bouts with Del Boy a couple of years ago. After the fight, Chisora got into a melee with David Haye, the retired British heavyweight who lost to Wladimir last year and may or may not lace up his gloves again to fight Vitali.
If Chisora could have channeled prime-time Mike Tyson, instead of echoing Iron Mike?s bizarre behavior during the waning days of his career, he might have been able to pull off an upset over the older Klitschko. As it was, Chisora gave Klitschko the hardest fight the Ukrainian has had since Lennox Lewis plowed a bloody furrow over Vitali?s eye back in 2003.
Chisora has now lost three fights in a row. But he has hardly disgraced himself. His opponents in those contests ? Tyson Fury, Robert Helenius and Klitschko ? all stand 6?6? or taller, towering over Chisora?s sawed-off 6?1?. Chisora went the distance all three times. Though he was clearly outpointed by Klitschko, Chisora was robbed in the Helenius fight, and he kept the Fury fight close.
Still, three losses are three losses. Perhaps Chisora needs his rowdyman act to divert attention from that glaring discrepancy. Regardless, he needs to pick up some wins to capitalize on the good impression he made in those losing causes. In a rematch with Vitali Klitschko, or fights against Wladimir Klitschko or Alexander Povetkin, Chisora would go in as an underdog. But he?s proven that he wouldn?t be a pushover.
As for Klitschko, he?s shown that at age 40, he?s still at the top of his game. Indeed, had it not been for the then 45-year-old George Foreman knocking out Michael Moorer to win the WBA title back in 1994, Klitschko would be renowned today as the oldest man to hold the heavyweight title ? or, at least an alphabet version of it.
Come to think of it, a contest between the Klitschko of 2012 and the Foreman of 1994 would be a true ?battle of the ages.? Who do you think would win?
