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Home » Haye v Chisora: Frank Warren masterminds an English grudge match

Haye v Chisora: Frank Warren masterminds an English grudge match

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  • 3 min read

From the moment that the night’s failed world title challenger and already irate Dereck Chisora clapped eyes on the former WBA heavyweight champion raining on his Klitschko parade, there was only one place the two British fighters were going to drag any ensuing argument.

‘Del Boy’ was already in a bad place judging by his previous antics over the weekend when he unwittingly slapped Vitali at a packed weigh-in to the amazement of those present and continued the madness with a water-spit at Wladimir in the ring.

Then rushing towards an already hyped-up Haye, who was only there to call out Chisora’s opponent, may not have been the best idea and there is a two-sided debate as to whether the former British champion got what he deserved with a fist full of a mini-Schweppes bottle in return.

Although unscripted and totally out-of-order, the next ten minutes of recorded air-time were undisputedly TV gold and have made both fighters very rich men indeed when they lock horns tomorrow at Upton Park.

Frank Warren has mentioned that Klitschko manager Bernd Boente came up with the plan to pit both fighters against each other in the February press conference, but rest assured that as soon as Haye landed the first fateful blow, the long-time promoter would have planted the seed that has now blossomed into tomorrow night’s spectacle.

HAYE v CHISORA

Out of the many promoters in boxing today, not many would have been able to hurdle the obstacles that have been wedged in the way of making this fight happen, and in the next 24 hours or so we will all know whether it was worth all the hassle.

British fight fans have craved a big clash between two figureheads of the sport in the UK and Warren has provided it, and not before time as fights between Tyson Fury and David Price and Martin Murray and Matthew Macklin look miles away.

Let it be said that the previous two fights craved by the British public at large were signed and sealed by Warren as George Groves and James DeGale enthralled over twelve rounds and Nathan Cleverly’s battle with Tony Bellew is still hopeful of a second helping.

Tomorrow night could go down in folklore as one of the greatest nights of the British modern era, although it could equally be remembered as one of the worst decisions by a promoter to put his reputation on the line.

I believe that the former will be the case in this instance.

Phil Jay is the Editor of WBN. An Auxiliary member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay.