All the details you need to watch the Oleksandr Usyk vs Dereck Chisora heavyweight fight
‘The Cat’ vs ‘WAR’
BBN have provided viewers with all the details needed to tune in and watch the heavyweight clash between Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk (17-0, 13KOs) and Londoner Dereck Chisora (32-9, 23KOs) on Halloween night.
Date
The bout takes place on Saturday, October 31, although the pair were originally scheduled to meet five months prior on May 23 at The O2 arena.
Venue
The venue has been confirmed as The SSE Arena, Wembley.
Rounds scheduled
12 three-minute championship rounds at heavyweight.
Titles
Oleksandr Usyk is the no.1 mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua's WBO belt, so those are the stakes in this contest, but the WBO Inter-Continental belt has also been added.
Ringwalks
The ring walks for the main event are expected from 10pm UK time, but that will depend on the undercard results.
TV Coverage
Coverage for Usyk-Chisora starts live on Sky Sports Box Office from 6:00pm (Sky Channel 491; Sky Sports Box Office HD 492).
Two repeat showings will be shown at 11pm on Sunday, November 1, and 9am on Monday, November 2.
To book online, click here: https://www.sky.com/boxoffice/usyk-chisora
Live Stream
You can watch online via the Sky Sports website here: https://www.skysports.com/watch
BBN are providing LIVE updates on the night HERE
There is one other way that you can watch if you are not a Sky TV customer, or if you are just out and about on Saturday night by simply finding a suitable pub that is showing the event by visiting pubfinder.sky.com
Price
Box Office price is set at £19.95 for UK customers and 24.95 for ROI customers up until midnight on Friday, October 30.
Undercard Highlights
On the undercard, Welshman Lee Selby (28-2, 9KOs) is aiming to challenge for another world title but first must get past undefeated Australian George Kambosos Jr (18-0, 10KOs) in a 12-round IBF World lightweight title final eliminator.
33-year-old ‘Lightning’ Lee was the IBF World featherweight champion between July 2017 to May 2018. It was clear that the featherweight could no longer make the 126lbs limit after defeat to Josh Warrington, and moved up to win the IBF Inter-Continental lightweight title in his first fight back against American Omar Douglas (20-3, 14KOs). He then decisioned triple champion Ricky Burns in his last fight in October 2019 to reach no.4 in the IBF World rankings. His 31st opponent is just above him in third place.
The ‘Ferocious’ Australian is 27-years-old and currently unbeaten in 18 bouts. He won the New South Wales title in his third fight, the Australian national belt in his sixth, and has also collected WBA and IBF regional honours during his seven-year pro career. In his last fight, he defeated former IBF World lightweight champion Mickey Bey (23-3-1, 11KOs) at Madison Square Garden in December last year.
His recent scalps, although not notable names other than Bey, have been impressive in numbers. Since his step up to win the Australian title, every opponent has been a winning fighter, with a combined record of 227-53-15. His moniker is well justified, he is ferocious and intimidating. His right uppercut that landed to knock down Mickey Bey was simply stunning and he very nearly stopped him in that last round.
Slickster Selby is also appropriately named, with his fast hands and fleet feet. Although known for skill over power, he has knocked out and stunned a few opponents cold with the one shot. His punch variety is very impressive, and his shots whipped into the body take the speed and spirit away from his ring rivals.
It's a contest between skill and power, and who wins is anyone's guess!
Full fight preview HERE
Related Articles
Everything you ever need to know about Usyk-Chisora can be found HERE
Quotes
Oleksandr Usyk: “I am very happy to be back here and I really hope that this fight will take place. He’s a really big guy and he hits hard. I will train hard and I will be in the best shape for this fight and I tell you once again, I love boxing very much, I love to box.”
Dereck Chisora: “I want to thank Oleksandr for taking this fight. I am fighting one of the best fighters out there! The guy knows how to box and I can’t get sparring partners who can box like him. I will chuck whatever I can chuck. I want to take his golden ticket and I want to take what he has and make it mine. I think the way he wins this fight is by knocking me out but that is not going to happen because I am going to keep coming. The guy has good foot movement and If I box his way he is going to win it. I just need to land a couple of punches to slow him down and it is going to be an exciting fight. I am ready to go! I will step in them ropes, bite down on the gumshield and catch this man.”
Predictions
Ryan Walsh,British featherweight champion: “Usyk will win on points. His superior speed and footwork will be a major problem, plus the southpaw stance. I’m a big Derek Chisora fan, so I hope he does the unbelievable and KO's Usyk. I just don’t see Oleksandr sticking around much for Del to land any bombs.”
Read the full article HERE
Background
This pair were originally scheduled to clash on May 23 at The O2 Arena in London, instead it’ll be a much smaller affair behind closed doors..
You could talk about Oleksandr’s amateur achievements forever, but to summarise briefly, he ran his record to 335-15 and was a Ukrainian, European, World and Olympic champion.
Del Boy’s had just 20 amateur bouts to his name, but he still did remarkably well in such a short space of time by winning the 2006 ABA super-heavyweight championships and bagging gold at a Four Nations tournament.
In the pro code, Chisora has challenged unsuccessfully for a world title, way back in 2012, but has triumphed domestically and also at European level, with British, Commonwealth and European titles held between 2010-2014. He has also held a number of WBA and WBO minor titles. He’s currently ranked in the top 15 heavyweights in the world with all five governing bodies: WBC #12; WBA #10; IBF #10; WBO #8; IBO #8.
Similarly to Usyk’s amateur career, he has achieved incredible feats, making history when he won all four major world titles in the cruiserweight division, drawing comparisons to the great Evander Holyfield who was the first to achieve the feat before the WBO was born in 1988. He’s currently ranked in the top three heavyweights in the world with all five governing bodies: WBC #2; WBA #2; IBF #3; WBO #1; IBO #1.
In Dereck Chisora (32-9, 23KOs), he will face a real test that he needs to get through credibly if he is to challenge the WBO World champion Anthony Joshua (23-1, 21KOs) next.
‘Delboy’, recently rebranded to ‘WAR’ Chisora, is on three-fight winning streak following his KO loss to Dillian Whyte (27-2, 18KOs) in December 2018 after their initial fight two years prior was so close, ruled as a split decision win to Whyte. In the rematch, Chisora was knocked out cold by his fellow Londoner in the 11th round to put the rivalry firmly to bed.
Chisora plans to do exactly what his name suggests, by bringing the ‘WAR’! He’ll be straight in, closing the space, making the fight ugly, mauling him, pushing him, leaning on him, throwing anything and everything, looking to land big shots from anywhere he can. Whereas Usyk will be smart and wily, and use his feet, superior movement, and aim to keep the range at his advantage where he can pick Chisora off to gradually tire, slow, and wear him down, where he will land an increasing number of combos and punches of variety from all different angles.
There's a few unanswered questions, such as 'Can Usyk take a proper heavyweight punch?' We won't know the answer until that first bell sounds.
Full fight preview HERE
Betting Odds Supplied by Star Sports
2/15 Oleksandr Usyk
21/4 Dereck Chisora
35/1 Draw
Running Order (Times are approximate)
10:30pm: Oleksandr Usyk vs Dereck Chisora
12×3 Heavyweight contest
9:30pm: Lee Selby vs George Kambosos Jr
12×3 IBF World lightweight title eliminator
8:30pm: Savannah Marshall vs Hannah Rankin
10×2 vacant WBO World middleweight title
7:30pm: Tommy McCarthy vs Bilal Laggoune
12×3 vacant European cruiserweight title
7pm: Ramla Ali vs Eve Hubmeyer
6×2 Lightweight contest
6pm: Amy Timlin vs Carly Skelly
10×2 vacant Commonwealth Female super-bantamweight title
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