Former world heavyweight champion David Haye is predicting a brutal fight between Joseph Parker and Dereck Chisora that will end by knockout.
Former WBO world heavyweight champion Parker and the vastly experienced Chisora fight in Manchester on Sunday morning (NZT).
Haye now manages Chisora but knows plenty about Parker, helping the Kiwi prepare in his London gym for his other British fights against Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.
Haye sees this as the heavy hands of Chisora going up against the guile of Parker and doesn’t believe the judges will get involved.
“Joseph Parker, we know is an excellent boxer, one of the best jabs in the business. Ask Andy Ruiz, Carlos Takam, it’s a killer,” Haye said at the final press conference on Friday.
“So, it’s a simple solution, we’re not having a boxing match with Parker, it must be a fight. I can guarantee a knockout in this fight, this is not going the distance. This is about how much Joseph Parker can take.
“He’s got a great chin, he went twelve rounds with AJ, twelve rounds with Dillian Whyte who hit him on the button many times. Derek’s going to have to do something very special on Saturday night, and he’s brought in the big guns – Buddy McGirt, Hall of Fame trainer. We’re adding whatever we can to give Derek what’s needed to do the impossible.”
Haye felt that if Parker couldn’t keep Chisora at distance, the Kiwi was facing major problems.
“Anybody who watches Derek Chisora will want to keep him on the outside, because once Derek’s on the inside – ask David Price who said when Derek was inside, he didn’t know where the punches were coming from. When you’re inside with those little gloves, a big heavyweight with short cuffing shots … he’s been practising this stuff; his inside game is very destructive.
“Joseph Parker is going to be in a situation he hasn’t been in before, he’s fought come forward fighters before, but he’s been able to keep them at arm’s length. Derek must do his work in the inside, drag him into the deep end from round one. It’s going to have to be brutality from round one and I’m excited.”
Haye had brought some humour to the fight earlier in the day when he appeared in a Spiderman outfit as Parker and Chisora enjoyed a breakfast chat. Their 2019 fight was famously abandoned because Parker had a spider bite.
Parker is up for the job now, energised by his new environment that includes a new trainer in Andy Lee.
“I feel like with this fight, physically and mentally, I’m in a great place – probably the best I’ve been in a while.,” a relaxed Parker said, keen to push on from his last sluggish win.
“Two totally different styles, Junior Fa’s style was move and hug, punch every now and then. With Derek it’s no secret, he’s going to come forward and apply the pressure, throw punches everywhere. My hands are going to have to be up, down and all around.”
Lee, who helped the transformation in Tyson Fury for his incredible rematch with Deontay Wilder where he showed unexpected aggression from the outset, believes Parker is ready to surprise on just a few weeks under his tutelage.