Wladmir Klitschko and Dereck Chisora’s final press conference was filled with multiple attempts by each man to get the last word on the trash-talking front. From denunciations of being an “Uncle Tom” (an insult Chisora hurled at Klitschko’s trainer Emmanuel Steward) to accusations of being a pathetic woman beater, neither fighter was at a loss for words. Below are the best quotes from each, along with photos of their final meeting before facing off this Saturday (December 11) for Klitschko’s IBF and WBO heavyweight titles. U.S. fans can catch the fight on www.espn3.com at 5 PM ET.
Dereck Chisora
“You want to be like Muhammad Ali and all the rest, but you will never buy greatness, because you are not that great. That’s why you’re stuck in Germany, that’s why the other countries don’t want to watch you. You can’t get a fight in Vegas, no one will pay to watch you in Vegas, because you stink up the joint.”
““I have the power and I am young so I will take Klitschko into a real fight. Klitschko is 34-years-old, slow and on his downside of his career. I am 29-years-old, very fast and at the peak of my career.”
Wladimir Klitschko
“Chisora is a horrible person . . . I don’t have to motivate Wladimir. Chisora already made him mad and showed no respect towards him.” -Emmanuel Steward
“Me, I do not beat up women like you do. Those who beat up women are losers. You do not know where one practices boxing. It is in a ring! As you are such a horrible person, I am going to show you the road to redemption without a title.”
“I will show him what it is like to fight on a championship level against a man in the ring.”
PREDICTION
If this was the mentally fragile Wladimir Klitschko from the immediate aftermath of his KO loss Corrie Sanders, Chisora would have a slight chance. But this Wladimir, even at 34-year-old, is very technically sound and the most efficient he’s ever been. Chisora is tough, but I’ve seen nothing from him to suggest he has the skill needed to get on the inside and effectively work to sap Klitschko’s strength. Like so many recent Klitschko opponents, I see him getting his head snapped back repeatedly with ramrod left jabs, and getting leaned up with energy-debilitating clinches when he does get close. Look for Wladimir Klitschko to make a successful defense with a TKO around the eighth or ninth round.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 
