Media Interview with Dereck Chisora

EPIX presented one-time heavyweight title challenger DERECK CHISORA, along with Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren and Travis Pomposello, EPIX CCO and executive producer of EPIX Sports, on an international Media Conference Call on Monday, July 9, to discuss Chisora’s upcoming WBA Intercontinental/WBO International heavyweight championships rumble against former two-division world champion DAVID HAYE. The all-British heavyweight war will be televised live in the U.S. exclusively on EPIX, the multiplatform premium entertainment service, from the West Ham Football Club’s Boleyn Ground at Upton Park in London, This Saturday! July 14, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. PT. EpixHD.com will stream the fights live as part of a special free trial offer for boxing fans.

You don’t have to look any further than this press conference encounter to see where the bad blood began which led to the making of Haye vs. Chisora – check out the video on the EPIX YouTube page.

As has become the custom, EPIX will once again present the closed-captioned simulcast of this world championship rumble on its jumbotron in Times Square in New York City (Broadway between 44th and 45th Sts.)

Travis Pomposello: First off, I want to thank all of our fans who are listening on the fan line today you know who can’t ask questions but can listen in to hear what Dereck and David have to say.

EPIX had a very successful fight over this past weekend with Wladimir Klitschko beating Tony Thompson in six rounds. We’ve all been looking forward to having Dereck on our air again. This will be the third fight we’ve had with Dereck Chisora, or four, if you want to count the post-fight press conference after Klitschko.

When Dereck first fought Helenius on our air, he really shocked and awed all of us here in the United States with how well he did against Helenius in that fight. I personally think that Dereck won that fight.

And an amazing performance against Klitschko just a few months later and a post-fight press conference performance against David Haye after, which has led us here.

So, we are very excited; looking forward to this fight. It is one that I think boxing fans are looking forward to see who gets bragging rights on this one.

Fred Sternburg: Also on the line, we have hall of fame promoter, Frank Warren, calling in from London.

Frank, I understand there’s been a lot of controversy involved with this fight. I understand tickets are selling very well and that the fans are really responding to this. Can you tell us a little bit more about the promotion and what’s been going on with all the controversy for this fight?

Frank Warren: Well, (inaudible) citizens, we’re used to this sort of controversy when it comes to the U.K., but it’s much (inaudible). We were discussing the fight at the press conference after the Klitschko fight with Dereck.

(Inaudible) see the (fight); I think you guys did see the fight, but that was – Dereck done absolutely brilliantly) in that fight. You’ve got to bear in mind, he’s only had 18 bouts in professional, went into the lion’s den, into Klitschko’s back yard. There’s a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes which led to a lot of problems prior to the fight and then also after at the press conference, which was highly documented.

The funny thing is all that stuff from YouTube after the fight, if you care to look at it, over 40 million hits they’ve had on YouTube to watch all what happened in Germany. That’s such was the interest or whatever you want to call it, but that’s how many people have seen it so far on YouTube.

We were discussing the fight prior to the fight at the press conference and then, as we say in England, well for all (meetings). Big bust up; I’ve seen them before happen, you guys have seen them. I know some of you guys who may be at Showtime in a previous life had seen some of these.

(Inaudible) events I can recall, Lennox Lewis and Tyson, Lennox Lewis and Hasim Rahman, I can remember (inaudible) and (Barerra), the press conference. (Mostly) over the years (inaudible) Muhammad Ali, but one thing, none of these other guys that have got banned for it.

And for some reason, in this country, the British Boxing Board of Control got carried away with all the hysteria and decided they would withdraw Dereck’s license. What happens in this country, the British Boxing Board of Control is not like a commission in the United States, the British Boxing Board of Control is a self-appointed body – is what we call a military company, it’s a registered company.

All these (inaudible), which (inaudible) commissioners, are around what they call the British Boxing Board of Control panel, all self-elected. The license holders, and there are two and half thousand, are not allowed to vote on any issues or visit (inaudible), who acts as prosecutor, judge and jury.

Now, this is an independent arbitration process and basically we felt like we – when we went to the hearing, there were 18 people in the room, they didn’t have TV facilities to look at video evidence and basically afterwards on the (inaudible) (Mississippi Burning) and would be determined to bury Dereck.

Anyway, they withdrew his license, they didn’t ban him from boxing; similar situation to when Mike Tyson fought in the U.K. in 2000 when he hit a referee. The Board of Control then fined him, I think it was a hundred grand, and they did not ban him from boxing.

Had they banned him from boxing, he, for example, would not have been able to fight in Nevada. Had Dereck been banned from boxing, the European boxing union, which again is a self-appointed body, would have put him on the banned boxers list.

He wasn’t banned, he was – (inaudible) comments from the British Boxing Board of Control chairman was he could apply for a license if he wished at any time (inaudible) or (inaudible) even I ask the question he could be licensed by another jurisdiction.

(Banning) what’s happened, the fight is now, as we know, taking place on the 14th of July here in the U.K. It’s been sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation for the WBA Intercontinental and WBO International heavyweight titles.

All the sanctioning organizations are all actually affiliated through the various government bodies to the British Boxing Board of Control. The Board of Control certainly has not tried to disenfranchise itself from the WBO or the WBA.

The main problem they have, which is a (inaudible) matter, is that the Luxembourg Federation is coming into the U.K. and is basically destroying their monopoly. Similar situation you may not be aware of, but what happens in Germany every (inaudible) and promotion in Germany is sanctioned actually by an Austrian Federation, although they take place in Germany.

So, it’s nothing unusual happening in Europe and it’s certainly not illegal. It’s quite lawful, the police have (inaudible) no objections. Also, (I’m surprised) the police in Germany questioned Dereck Chisora twice; they did not charge him, they let him go (inaudible) back to Germany on two occasions to watch fights on (inaudible) you know didn’t feel anything was you know that he’d broken the law.

So, the fight goes ahead. It’s licensed by also (inaudible) city council, which is (inaudible). And at the moment, we’re 30,000 tickets are sold. That’s more tickets than the Bute-Froch fight than (inaudible) this weekend, (size and fury) and probably a couple of fights have taken place in the States combined, all those tickets combined. That (such is the) interest in this fight.

I’m Dereck’s manager as well as his promoter and although Dereck’s lost his last three fights, (inaudible) and I’ll take nothing away from Tyson Fury, but Dereck came in 28 pounds overweight. I’m very disappointed and he knows what he did wrong and Tyson Fury who deserved to win that fight with lack of professionalism from Dereck.

Dereck put his act together, went to Helenius for the title there, it was the biggest robbery that I’ve seen for a long, long time in boxing. A real bad decision (inaudible) that most people did. And then we went to – or he went along with me to Germany and as you said, we know what happened there.

The good thing about that is at 36 (inaudible) rounds under his belt, that is going to be the difference between him and David Haye. Dereck, he’s a competitor, he’s got a big heart, he’s got a great of talent, he’s got a tremendous power, and he’s raring to go. I can assure you, we haven’t been down to the gym today to see him in action, he’s fit and raring to go.

David Haye’s got a few you know he’s a double world champion (inaudible) away from heavyweight. But, he’s not sold anybody yet and is actually taking the fights (inaudible) put it on the (inaudible). And once he (inaudible) if Dereck catches him on the chin, he’ll knock him out.

Dereck Chisora: Training camp is good; no injuries. Everything is going according to plan. You know I think I’ve sparred about 150 rounds and finish sparring on Wednesday.

Q: When the situation occurred between yourself and David following the press conference that you had after your fight with Klitschko, was that the first time that you and David had ever sort of engaged like that or was there some sort of history of you know kind of back and forth between you two guys?

Dereck Chisora: My (inaudible) fight you know I was – I (inaudible) European title and then the fight (inaudible) came up and I (inaudible) in Germany something happened and then the rumor went on that said David Haye (inaudible).

And then I always had a – I was at a (inaudible) (roughed him up). So, all along for the (inaudible) bumped into him. I don’t know what happened with the fight; I see the guy (mouthing off) you know talking too loud and that’s what happened.

Q: When was that, Dereck?

Dereck Chisora: Bumped into each other?

Q: This was at one of his fights – I’m sorry – in Germany?

Dereck Chisora: Yes, in Germany. That was the first time I saw him.

Q: So, the first time you ever saw David in person was at your fight with Vitali Klitschko?

Dereck Chisora: No. I saw David Haye twice; one was (inaudible) his European (inaudible) a couple years ago and then (inaudible). I then I saw him again at a – when I was fighting (inaudible) at a press conference in Germany.

Q: So, when you saw him at that European title defense that David had, you just saw him but you didn’t really talk to him or get acquainted with him?

Dereck Chisora: No, I was a fan. Beyond (inaudible) I was a fan. I went to watch a great fight you know you’ve done well and then I left.

Q: But, your first personal interaction with him was in the fight that you had with Vitali Klitschko? In other words, there was no history of, like, a bad situation between you two guys to set up? It just happened that time? It wasn’t, like, it had built from some other previous event, is that correct?

Dereck Chisora: (Inaudible). You know I always tell people in London you know when you see David you tell him I’m looking for him, so he knew I was looking for him. Then I saw him you know I (inaudible) rounds and (inaudible) (you land the first shot). I knew it was on.

Q: Now, when the situation happened at the Klitschko post-fight press conference because even though he was sort of yelling stuff at you from the back of the room you know it was sort of your moment because you had just fought for the heavyweight title. Even though you had lost, you had obviously put on a very spirited and exciting performance and do you think that what happened after that fight because of the brawl that you two guys had that it took away at all from what you had done in the ring against Vitali, even though you weren’t the winner?

Dereck Chisora: Yes, it took away a lot. You know everybody painted me with a bad name you know some (inaudible) call me the (inaudible). And you know it painted my name basically badly. But, I’ll restore my name back again after this fight.

Q: So, do you regret at all, because it’s one thing for guys to yell and talk …

Dereck Chisora: Oh you know what? I’ll (inaudible) about five times in Great Britain, I said, I apologize (inaudible) but the rest of (inaudible) I don’t regret. You know this is a fight (inaudible) competition.

I love fighting and you know this is what I know right now, fighting. So you know the only thing I regret is I want to (inaudible) anybody, I never had even owned a gun. So, I regret for that and I apologize (inaudible) for that.

Q: OK and one other thing; who glassed whom? Can you say who is the person that began that situation with the bottles, because the video is not exactly the clearest thing in the world.

Dereck Chisora: You know there’s so many versions. David Haye is the one that had a glass in his hand and camera tripod. You know (inaudible) tripod. You know it’s like (inaudible) to the party, so you know that’s his own way about (inaudible).

You know what? I’m (inaudible). I don’t really care about a glass or about anything else. The fight is on.

Q: Hi, Dereck. I was just wondering, what’s the fan reaction been like in the U.K. towards you?

Dereck Chisora: Well you know I (inaudible) fans you know I’ve got my (inaudible) fans, my (inaudible) fans, and I’ve got my (inaudible) fans down at the bottom of the chain.

But you know everybody loves me the same way. You know some of them were not happy about it, but you know those who weren’t happy about it, they told me to my face; you know what, we’re not happy with what you did and stuff like that and I’ve told them I’m sorry for it. But, now they’re coming to watch the fight.

Q: Are you stoking controversy in the run up to the fight?

Dereck Chisora: You know obviously keeping to myself. Haye blogs. Blogging, blogging, blogging because you know that’s his way of – that’s the only way he knows how to fight. You know (you get a little pop up box) (inaudible) true champion (inaudible).

Q: What do you want to tell the fans watching on Saturday?

Dereck Chisora: Listen, man, I want to give you a great fight. It’s going to be a great fight, but it’s – my style and his style you know not taking nothing from Haye, you know the way he comes in great shape, he comes in and trains hard. Two great athletes in that ring and we’ll see what’s going to happen.

Q: Do you think it will go the distance or have you planned for it to go the distance at all?

Dereck Chisora: It will not go the distance.

Q: Do regard it as the toughest fight of your career?

Dereck Chisora: Probably toughest of my career was Darren Morgan.

Q: Will you shake his hand after the fight as well? Will it be forgotten or will you just move on type of thing?

Dereck Chisora: We’ll see.

Q: You’ll see. And what are you future plans for after the fight?

Dereck Chisora: My future plan is to keep fighting. That’s what I see right now.

Q: Would you want to (inaudible) with the KIitschko’s again or would you want a rematch with Helenius again after this fight?

Dereck Chisora: When was Robert Helenius’s last fight? With me?

Q: It was you, yes, I think so.

Dereck Chisora: But you know these fighters, they don’t (often) fight. We don’t want to fight nobody now. So, boxers don’t want to fight boxers you know they want to fight the easy fight and (inaudible) could have probably been the greatest thing every you know.

(Inaudible) ever fight me. It won’t be the same fight ever again.

Q: Could I ask, first of all, do you think the way David Haye’s been talking about this fight with you that he’s going to toy with you … that he’s underestimating the skills you actually have?

Dereck Chisora: You know David, he’s a talker you know hype. (Inaudible) talk himself a way to a world title fight. You know he’s always talking. Trying to toy with me, playing mind games.

You know (inaudible). You know you have to (inaudible) what makes him happy. You know it was coming.

Q: I spoke to Freddie Roach a few days ago in L.A. last week. He’s very impressed with the way – he said you know there were shades of Joe Frazier in the way that Dereck was moving against Vitali Klitschko, kind of coming in with the bobbing head, looking for the hooks.

I know you planned for that kind of thing against Vitali; coming forward, always keeping your head moving. And Freddie seems to be saying that he believes that you will give David a very, very tough fight and maybe David hasn’t realized quite how tough it’s going to be.

Are you preparing for that kind of contest?

Dereck Chisora: It’s a fight. I’m not looking to box him, I’m there to fight. I want to fight. You know whatever the round is I want to fight and I want to punch him.

Q: Have you ever got into fights when you haven’t felt as mentally strong as this? Obviously for this one, you’ve got a reason you really want to win it more than any other. Is this a bigger fight for you than you’ve ever had before in many senses because of what’s gone before?

Dereck Chisora: Listen, it’s a big fight. It’s a big fight, everybody’s watching it you know it’s going to be explosive. You know outdoors; it’s going to be amazing. And I’m well prepared for this fight.

Q: What does it say about you that your two biggest fights were a controversial decision loss against Helenius, a draw, whatever, and the loss to Klitschko and that those two fights have given you, in addition to the you know the situation with David Haye, has given you attention? What does it say to you that people have kind of gravitated to you and what does that say about your ability and your heart and the kind of fighter you are?

Dereck Chisora: You know it’s been a while since people watched a great fight you know. It’s been a long time for people watching (inaudible) that great fight (inaudible).

I like to bring that to the ring when I come in – when I step in the ring. I like to give you all you know I like to be tired, I want to get tired by giving it my all. I want to push myself to boundaries I’ve never been at.

Q: Dereck, what are some of the personal things you hear? Can you remember some of the things you hear from your fans; what they say about you, what they say they like about you and you know do they say things like they’re rooting for you and that kind of thing? What kind of things do you hear?

Dereck Chisora: You know what? Right now it’s 50/50. You know David Haye has his own crowd, I’ve got my own crowd.

Q: What are your fans saying to you about what they like about the way you fight and do you have an affinity for those fans?

Dereck Chisora: You know most people come say I have a throwback you know old school style. They like my coming forward like Joe Frazier you know. I just keep moving. With that kind of style, you have to be fit. You have to train hard.

Q: When you faced Vitali earlier in the year, you took a lot of you know good shots from him and he’s a guy that has one of the best knockout percentages in the history of heavyweight boxing and is known to be an excellent puncher and David is known to be a good puncher also, although I’m not sure it’s on the same level as Vitali.

My question to you is, because you were able to take the kind of shots you took from Vitali and never seemed to be really badly hurt by any of those punches, does that give you confidence to think that you should not have any issues taking the shots from David Haye when he does land those punches?

Dereck Chisora: Earlier in my career I started learning a trick, like you know as a punch comes you can ride it or you can meet it halfway. You meet it halfway, you’re going to get (hurt). If you ride it, you go with it and, you know, you don’t get hurt. The only shot Vitali hurt me with was a good body shot, which kind of winded me a bit, third round.

They can only hit you if they see an opportunity. But, we’re not going to give David Haye an opportunity to hit me.

Q: Now, David’s only loss before the Klitschko fight was as a cruiserweight against, Carl Thompson, but it’s many years ago. Do you figure that you’re going to be able to get to his chin since we know you have a great chin and you’ve shown that in your career, but do you think you’ll be able to do damage to David when you touch him?

Dereck Chisora: Oh, yes, definitely.

Q: So, do you think this is a knockout for you? Because, I mean, it’s hard to see the way that you two guys fight, see this going a full 12 rounds.

Dereck Chisora: Yes

Q: Yes, well, since you’re so cavalier about saying (inaudible) getting knocked out, is there a round that you’re predicting? Do you think it’s an early knockout, a late knockout, how do you view the fight?

Dereck Chisora: (Inaudible) in round two.

Q: That’s what he said he’s going to do to you.

Dereck Chisora: Yes, he said he’s going to knock me out in round two.

Q: When do you say you’re going to knock him out?

Dereck Chisora: He’s going to go down in round seven.

Q: OK. Any reason for that or just lucky seven?

Dereck Chisora: Lucky seven.

Q: One more question for you; sort of the word on the street, so to speak, is that if you are successful in this fight and you beat David Haye, you are the leading contender on the list to get a fight at the end of the year against Wladimir Klitschko for his heavyweight titles. Have you heard about that? What do you think about that and I’m sure you would love that opportunity if it came to pass?

Dereck Chisora: You know I’m not (inaudible) because you know (inaudible) promotions, they had (inaudible) like slavery and I don’t like that. (Inaudible) and I don’t like that. So, I won’t be jumping into that. I see what (inaudible) is, (inaudible) fight in mind (inaudible).

Q: So, you’re not necessarily anxious and looking forward to jumping into that kind of a fight? Is that what you – because you know the way the business deal is done?

Dereck Chisora: Yes. You know (inaudible) beat up (inaudible). You know (inaudible) and then that happened. So, definitely (inaudible).

Frank Warren: (Inaudible) Wladimir Klitschko is when we go in as the number one contender spot. (Inaudible) last time because the opportunity (inaudible). And we signed a couple of years ago (inaudible) and Wladimir called out the fight twice. Once, two days before the fight (inaudible) his trainer.

(Inaudible) bad (back) (inaudible). If that (inaudible) the number one spot and we – not we, when I say ‘we’ I mean (inaudible) Dereck – to make sure he gets paid properly this time.

Q: You think the way to get paid properly then is to be the mandatory, is that correct?

Frank Warren: Correct, yes.

Q: OK. So, if they come to you, the (K2) people, if David is successful and want to sit down and negotiate a fight, are you saying that you don’t even want to talk to them about it or (inaudible)?

Frank Warren: (Inaudible). I’m saying (inaudible) something going on. The (caliber) (inaudible) because the amount of money that’s (inaudible) table. So, that ain’t going to happen. (Inaudible) and at the end of the day, let me tell you something, if that fight goes to (inaudible), we can do as much (inaudible) over here as they can do with Germany about that.

So you know they’ve got a bigger end of the (inaudible). (Inaudible) fact of the matter is we can probably draw 40 to 50,000 people to a venue over here and they won’t want to be coming here. So, they you know the number one spot like (inaudible) the money for it.

Q: Well, Frank, the – if my memory serves correct is, in the original incarnation when they made the deal with David, when Wladimir fought him, originally it was supposed to be in England and something happened with the stadium deal that the Haye people had promised and that’s why the fight wound up in Germany.

So, I think that Wladimir has always been willing to go to fight in England and if you could then deliver that type of stadium deal that he was anxious to have, do you think you could lure him over there without having to go to any kind of (inaudible), because it seems like he’s willing to travel.

Frank Warren: I’m not sure – yes, he’s willing to travel to fight David Haye, but will he be willing to travel to fight (inaudible). (Inaudible) Germany, I promise you.

Q: Yes. After being robbed against Helenius and then the Klitschko fight, I think the fight was pretty close and they had it wide. Does that give you more urgency to get a knockout and are you worried about judging?

Dereck Chisora: I’m (not) worried about judging.
I’m not worried about that, to be honest with you. I’m just looking forward to the fight. I just hope my opponent comes ready because I’m ready.

Q: Why do you think your style will give him problems?

Dereck Chisora: Because I want to be all over this guy you know I’m going to be all over him like a baby’s rash. So, he’s never fought anybody like me. He’s never boxed anyone with my style, basically.

Frank Warren: You’ve got to remember, Dereck’s – you look at David Haye’s style in heavyweight, he’s done well with the fights against Helenius and Klitschko.

But you know (inaudible), who (inaudible) has been the twin brother from young Frankenstein, the way he moves around the ring. You know (inaudible) guy here who comes to fight and he comes to fight. He’s got ability, he’s got speed, he can punch.

And you know I can’t see (inaudible) David the (inaudible) came up against Wladimir Klitschko, (inaudible) see what happened. He’s back talking and back talking and I can’t see him coming to fight Dereck (inaudible). (Inaudible) try and do that the first round. Well, that remains to be seen. So, I just (inaudible) Dereck (inaudible). That’s the difference in the quality of the opposition.

Dereck is a live fighter. He’s fighting a live (fire), he’s fighting a guy who comes to fight. Now, he’s not (inaudible), he’s not Joe Lewis. Bear in mind, once he (inaudible).

Q: You have a lot of American fans paying attention a great because of the incident with Haye at the press conference. Tell us why we should be interested in Dereck Chisora? He’s basically lost three out of four of our last fights.

Dereck Chisora: So, the reason why you’re interested is the same reason you’re still on this phone. That’s why you typed in to ask all these questions because I’m a great fighter. People want to watch me fight. You know it’s not like (inaudible), do I want to watch this fight? (Inaudible) watching me fight. Are you going to watch it?

Q: Yes.

Dereck Chisora: Those are the fans, those Americans who like fighting are going to watch this fight. And those are not fans won’t watch it. This is about pride. This ain’t about ‘the winner of this can fight the Klitschkos’. Even when David Haye went to fight the Klitschkos, he had nothing. It’s a big fight, everybody’s watching it, it’s going to be explosive, it’s going to be amazing and I’m well prepared for this fight.

Fred Sternburg: Dereck, we just got word from David Haye. He decided not to join the call; I didn’t know if you had any comment on that or not?

Dereck Chisora: Well, Haye is a drama queen. I don’t even pay attention to any drama queens. We don’t really care; you know the show must go on. I don’t think any of you (inaudible) in the States they do this kind of stuff. (Inaudible) wants attention, so when a kid wants attention, you give him more attention (inaudible) press conference call, blah, blah, blah. We don’t care anyway. I don’t really care.

Travis Pomposello: You know once again, I want to thank the fans on the fan line. Last weekend you know pretty much in Times Square we had a great turnout there; it’s summertime in New York, Saturday afternoon in Times Square on that big screen. We had a great turnout last week and I’m sure this is going to be a fight and as Dereck said, people like to watch a fight and I think a lot of people are going to be out there.

And, Dereck, it’s going to be exciting to have you on our air again for your third fight and if you can do me the personal favor in reminding David, thanks for showing up for the conference call today.

Dereck Chisora: I will.

Dereck Chisora: Keep doing what you’re doing, keep writing about boxing, the sport I love and when everything is right, I’ll fly over to the States. Right now, I don’t think they’ll let me in. But when everything is sorted and fixed, I’ll be there. And tune in and make sure you watch the fight; it will be a great fight.