Joseph Parker will send heavyweight warhorse Dereck Chisora crashing into retirement, says the Kiwi’s manager David Higgins.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Parker and veteran battler Chisora lock horns in London on May 1, each hoping that victory will propel them towards another title crack in a packed heavyweight picture.
But the loquacious Higgins believes that if Parker is near peak form with new trainer Andy Lee he will see off Chisora with something to spare.
“On his day, he [Chisora] can show up and knock someone out, like he did against Carlos Takam and so we’ve always got to be wary of that,” Higgins told the Ringside Toe 2 Toe podcast. “But provided that Joseph Parker does not make a silly mistake, and executes his game-plan, then I see him retiring Dereck Chisora.”
Chisora has also enlisted a new trainer in the seasoned Buddy McGirt, but for Higgins the appointment brings back memories of the American coach’s ill-fated training camp with Monte Barrett before his four-round KO loss to Shane Cameron in Auckland back in July 2012.
“I hope it’s a better camp, this time with Chisora,” quipped Higgins. “Nothing against Buddy McGirt, but I think Buddy would agree that the whole Monte Barrett camp was an utter shambles that ended in disaster.
“I hope Chisora has made the right decision with Buddy and I hope they are training hard and well, because we’re certainly in a good space.
“This is a fight where if Joseph wins, he’s got a genuine second world title shot, right in front of him. [Promoter] Eddie Hearn has confirmed that,” added Higgins. “Maybe against [Oleksandr] Usyk [tentatively scheduled to fight for the WBO Interim title against Joe Joyce], whoever, it doesn’t matter.
“The winner will be on a world title shot, I’d say within a year, and the loser will be on the scrap heap. If it’s Dereck Chisora, I’d say he’ll probably retire.
“If it’s Joseph Parker, he’s got to ask some really hard questions, whether he is in the top echelon and should continue his career.”
Feature image: (L) Victoria Jones/PA Wire (R) Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing