LONDON (Feb. 13) – Dereck Chisora is adamant that he will knockout American motormouth Kevin Johnson when the pair clash this weekend.
The heavyweights came face-to-face at Thursday’s press conference ahead of their showdown at the Copper Box Arena, live on BoxNation, this Saturday night.
British banger Chisora goes into the fight with a lot on the line as he eyes a summer blockbuster with Tyson Fury and has vowed to blast his way past the brash talking Johnson on route to that goal.
“I’ve watched a few of Johnson’s fights,” said Chisora. “The way I fight and the way he fights is totally different. I’m looking for a knockout so he can run and run but there’s going to be pressure on him. I’m going to go out there looking for him and I’m going to hurt him basically,” he said.
“I’m not looking at anything expect Kevin Johnson right now. I’m not looking at any other fight in the future. All I’m focused on is beating Kevin Johnson,” added Chisora.
Johnson, who is no stranger to British shores having fought here before against Fury, who is also set to appear on Saturday night’s bill, was in fine form as he confidently declared that Chisora was an opponent and style he would be able to easily handle.
“Fights like this are the ones I do the best in. Pressure fighter , a puncher, a brawler – these are the guys that get stopped, these are the guys I look the best against,” said Johnson.
“So I definitely look forward to this fight because I capitalise on guys with this type of style. I couldn’t have asked for anything more with a guy with this sort of style, anything different then I might not be here today. But this one right here is definitely worth flying over for,” he said.
The 34-year-old from New Jersey is a hardened veteran who has never been stopped in the ring and is certain it won’t be happening anytime soon.
“I’ve been stopped once in my life and that was by my momma and ever since then nobody’s put me down,” Johnson joked. “My momma whopped my behind since I was seven-years-old. I got hit by lefts, rights, uppercuts, sticks, board, cat, dog, strap, bat, everything you name it but I’m still here. I guess it made me the tough, strong, broad male that I am today and unless you whop me you ain’t putting me down. My momma’s a heavyweight man. My momma’s 6’1” 210 pounds. Trust me, it was a hell of a nightmare.
“Chisora’s style is what I know best. I know pressure and I know how to fight punchers. Granted if you want to take the punch count blow-by-blow and line them both up, he’s a better slugger than I am. But I’m a smarter boxer, I’m a faster boxer.
“If he knocks me out, I will become his personal cheerleader for the rest of his life,” Johnson declared.
Chisora was quick to fire back, claiming that the American’s trash talking was the same as those deployed ahead of his points loss to Fury in 2012.
“We’ve heard it all before. I think he said the same thing when he was boxing Tyson Fury. All American’s say the same thing. Us Brits we just sit there and listen and then we do it in the ring,” Chisora said.
“I’m going to go out and I’ll tell you what, I won’t be on the canvas, he’s going to be on the canvas. As I already told somebody I will knock him out. Without a doubt, I will knock him out,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manchester heavyweight Fury touched down in London following his training camp in France.
The imposing 6’9” star described his bout with the hard-hitting southpaw Joey Abell as his ‘worst nightmare’ and believes there will be fireworks when the two step between the ropes this weekend.
“I’ve got this guy Joey Abell, 6’4”, southpaw, worst nightmare for me, by the way. I’m going to state that now,” Fury said. “He knocked down Kubrat Pulev in his last fight, I don’t know if you saw that, and Pulev is the main challenger for Wladimir Klitschko’s title.
“Like he said he’s coming here to fight, he’s not coming here to lie down. He’s predicted he’s going to knock me out within five rounds so we’re going to see what’s going to happen,” he said.
“This is heavyweight boxing: One punch away from disaster, one punch away from glory and on Saturday night it’s all going to happen,” added Fury.
Abell, who has 28 knockouts from his 29 wins, is not coming to lie down and will be looking to seize the chance which will propel him to the top of the heavyweight mix.
“I hope for the best. I know that people are thinking that I’m here to lose but I’m not here to lose because I’m here for the opportunity. I don’t deserve to be fighting the best in the world yet, I think it takes a lot of work to get to that level, to be fighting these kinds of guys,” Abell said.
“But I definitely think that I’m a worthy opponent and I’m looking for a knock out. I can promise you that I’m not here to lose, I’m here to fight,” he stated.
