Deontay Wilder Doesn’t Look At Derek Chisora As A ‘Warm-Up’

Deontay Wilder (44-4-1, 43 KOs) and Derek Chisora (36-13, 23 KOs) are set to clash at The O2 Arena in London on April 4. With barely days remaining for the fight, Wilder certainly isn’t taking the matchup lightly.

Talking at the Mr. Verzace Podcast, Wilder urged that he considered the Chisora fight as big a test as all his major fights.

“I don’t look at him as a warm-up at all. You know what I’m saying? To get me prepared for anybody else, as far as me coming back, getting myself back together and stuff like that, I think Derek is the perfect person. You know what I mean?” he said. “Like you say, he got that ‘War’ engine. He’s gonna be coming all night and that’s what Imma need most.”

The fight is being treated as a high-stakes crossroads fight rather than a simple tune-up. Wilder is coming into it in a rather shaky form, with brutal losses to Tyson Fury and more recent defeats to fighters like Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. And with his limited success in comeback bouts, the fight could very well be a make-or-break moment for his career.

In contrast, Chisora is riding momentum late in his career with a three-fight win streak over solid opponents like Joe Joyce and Otto Wallin. And it wouldn’t just be a mere guess to think that he might be looking to cap his 50th fight with a statement performance.

In fact, Wilder even feels that Chisora has everything that he needs to prepare for all his future opponents.

“Everything that makes up Derek ‘War’ Chisora, Deontay Wilder need it in his life,” he said. “I need all that to get myself prepared for whoever else is in the division. If I get past him, nobody else, I ain’t worried about nothing else.”

“Can’t Sit Around”

Wilder’s fight against Oleksandr Usyk was one that was in the talks for months, with no sign of an agreement in sight. And now with both of them moving in opposite directions, Wilder didn’t do much to hide his frustration.

“Unfortunately, it couldn’t happen in a timely manner. It is what it is. We were trying to figure out what Usyk side wanted to do. Where they wanted the fight. What dates and stuff like that?” he said while talking to Brunch Boxing. “I’m an older fighter. I just can’t sit around like a younger fighter. The clock is ticking. Every minute. Every second of the hour. We gotta move.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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