Trainer and commentator, Teddy Atlas, has branded Tyson Fury’s upcoming title defence against Derek Chisora a ‘pension plan’ for the challenger – and he’s not mad at that.
When Fury cut negotiations with Anthony Joshua short and went on to announce Chisora as his winter warm-up opponent before heading towards an undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk, fans were unimpressed.
Given that ‘The Gypsy King’ has beaten ‘Del Boy’ twice already, and the two have seems friendly over the years, many in the sport have said Fury is providing a pay day for his old pal, and the man himself has even alluded to that, too.
Atlas, who worked with heavyweight Alexander Povetkin in the past, was speaking on his The Fight podcast when he made a gold watch analogy.
“At the end of the day, there’s two things that this is. Plain and simple. And one thing that it’s not.
Number one – it’s a pension plan for Chisora before he retires. It is! And it’s a good thing. I want pension plans. I’ve been fighting for it for years, we never got it. It’s a pension plan for Chisora, an old warhorse who’s really given his all for so many years.”
It’s the equivalent of giving someone a gold watch for their long a [meritorious] service to their job. 15 years where he’s fought everyone. A total of 45 fights, and his given the sport and the fans everything that he’s got every time he’s entered that ring.”
As for any beef that may rear its head on fight week, Atlas won’t buy it – believing that Fury’s plan is clearly to support another British fighter and dance partner before he hangs up the gloves.
“This is Fury’s way of giving him a nice parting gift. I think it’s great. And the second thing that it is. It’s an easy pay day for Fury, against a 38-year-old guy who he’s already beaten twice.”
Atlas went on to say that Chisora has a fan-friendly style but, whilst his trademark looping hooks will do well to put on a show, he doesn’t believe it’s a competitive fight.
Fans, bookies and pundits agree – with David Haye recently claiming that a Chisora win would eclipse all other heavyweight upsets in history.