The long awaited heavyweight battle between former unified cruiserweight king Oleksandr Usyk and former British, European champion and world title challenger Derrick Chisora is barely 24 hours away and many well educated onlookers have varied views on the outcome. Chisora came in looking a ready 255 having dug deep into a rigorous 10 week camp under the watchful eye of David Haye, the usually unhinged, unpredictable Version seems a million miles from the Derrick Chisora of today who appears calculated and very well equipped for the job in hand.. Usyk by contrast is everything Chisora is not, he’s an outside the box thinking maverick, who is calculated and often emotionless before fights, his 215 pounds barely stepped into the weight category and he prefers to allow his fists to do the talking as opposed to lip service. Oleksandr’s style at cruiserweight was dominant, he was almost untouchable, his fast feet and exceptional use of range made him almost impossible to overcome, however the move to heavyweight has shifted the playing field, opponents are naturally much bigger and stronger, leaving his options much slimmer when it comes to physical conflict. Usyk laboured when he appeared to struggle to subdue club fighter Chazz Witherspoon in his heavyweight debut, unable to impose his presence on a bigger man.. On this occasion the bigger man is a better man, an experienced and proven world class performer, Derrick has appeared on numerous pay per view shows, and win or lose has never once failed to bring 100% to the table, often driven by emotion it took him to a 2012 shot at then champion Vitali Klitschko, in a gallant showing that brought his name to the world stage.. since then Chisora has boxed 23 times losing only to the more prominent names in the division.. Derrick brings the one thing the Cruiserweight division couldn’t provide, an intensity and relentlessness outside of Usyk’s comfort zone, something that we won’t know the outcome of until it happens.. Oleksandr was a natural heavyweight throughout his amateur days, and understands the perils of mixing it amongst the monsters, but as a professional this may be an undesirable baptism that may either bring out the best in Usyk, or be to his detriment.. Either way, the respective styles make for a terrific show.. Many expect Usyk to dominate over the distance, whilst the more savvy of the oddsmakers can see Chisora pressing the Ukrainian into uncomfortable places he’s never been before, leading to a sizeable upset.. regardless, tomorrow’s show at Wembley should be memorable..
