Dereck Chisora told Kubrat Pulev to ‘Shut the f*** up’ many times during their final press conference today and the tension spilled over as both men had to be separated at the head-to-head.
Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London is another make or break fight in the career of Chisora and the British heavyweight wasn’t interested in giving the usual quotes of ‘I had a good camp, I’ve trained hard’. Instead, he laid his plans out simple and to the point.
“What I want to do is put my gumshield on, put my gloves on, walk out to the arena and fight. That’s what I want to do. Me sitting here and trying to tell you preparation went very well… it don’t matter. I’m just excited for Saturday. My whole point right now is bringing big fights, entertain the crowd and just do what I like to do.”
Chisora had pretended to nod off after Pulev and his co-promoter Ivaylo Gotzev answered Eddie Hearns questions at length.
Hearn asked the confident Pulev if he was prepared to stand and trade with the heavyweight warhorse.
“My style is very precise. I like to work like Doctor or Professor, like precise. Every punch precise.”
“This is sport, heavyweight boxing. This is not billiards or something like that so nobody can say what happens it’s why boxing is so interesting. I’m sure I’m very good and very strong and have a lot of power and lot of energy. Every round going to be difficult for Dereck Chisora. Every round. So, knockout… I come for the win then we will see.”
While talking about his excitement for Saturday Chisora was interrupted by Pulev who quietly said to Hearn:
“Ask him if he’s tired.”
The 38-year-old immediately responded.
“I’m not tired just tired of your bulls**t really.”
Chisora went on to talk about his style and his pumped-up attitude for the fight, but the 41-year-old Pulev began talking over him which didn’t go down too well.
“Shut the f*** up. Shut up. Shut the f*** up. All these people came to see me.”
Pulev then drew a mild laugh from some in attendance.
“People wants to see good puncing in your face, in your mouth.”
By now the pot was boiling and someone needed to turn it down because you could see exactly what was about to happen.
After declaring his admiration and support for Boris Johnson and Brexit the two men went to head-to-head. Chisora began by getting up in the smiling face of Pulev before the two men rubbed foreheads once again, just as they did at the public workout on Wednesday. It descended into machismo to see who could last the longest and could press the other furthest back.
I N T E N S E… 😳#ChisoraPulev2pic.twitter.com/09VGDFZG1V
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) July 7, 2022
Security was now involved before the offer of a handshake from Pulev turned into another tough guy contest but this time who would let go first. In the end it took several people to pull the two apart.
Just another Dereck Chisora press conference then.