Sports / Other
Chisora slaps Vitali Klitschko ahead of title fight
17 Feb 2012 at 08:06hrs | Views
Zimbabwean born British boxer Dereck Chisora slapped WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko at the weigh-in for their world title fight on Saturday.
The two squared up after stepping off the scales at a sports shop in Munich.
BBC 5 live boxing reporter Mike Costello, who was at the weigh-in, said Chisora's actions were "disgraceful."
"Somehow, Klitschko refrained from hitting back," said Costello. "He looked shocked. It has never happened to him before."
Chisora, 28, is a big underdog going into the fight but insisted on Thursday he would take Klitschko's title.
"I will end the Klitschko reign and cause a massive upset," said the Londoner. "It is the end for Vitali, I promise you."
According to Costello, Chisora hit out at Klitschko as they posed for photographs following the weigh-in.
"Chisora leant back and slapped Klitschko hard - very hard - with his right hand on the left-hand side of Klitschko's face," he said.
"[It was] quite disgraceful behaviour from Chisora."
Costello said Klitschko had to be held back by members of his camp.
"Somehow Klitschko refrained from hitting back," said Costello, who felt the incident was not stage-managed.
"Maybe he [Chisora] was trying to gain an advantage? Looking at the demeanour of Klitschko, it hasn't worked."
Even Chisora's trainer Don Charles branded the slap "unacceptable".
Asked whether it was pre-meditated, Charles added: "I'm not Dereck Chisora. Like I said, it's unacceptable."
Promoter Francis Warren, representing his father Frank's company, said: "We're all scratching our heads about it, to be honest.
"You always expect something from Dereck - he's a character - but it's usually something that winds people up or is a bit jovial.
"So for him to get physical and aggressive, unprovoked, is surprising. But I'm sure there's method to his madness and we'll find out if the madness has paid off tomorrow night."
Asked whether he expects sanctions against Chisora, Warren said: "That's up to the governing bodies to decide. If there are sanctions, then I suppose we will find out in the next couple of weeks.
"I'll sit down and have a chat with Dereck about it but at the moment we're focused on tomorrow night.
"Dereck is obviously a fiery character and that has got him to where he is. He can react like that to situations but he is a boxer, a fighter. Let's focus on the fight."
Chisora weighed in at 17st 3lbs, just a pound heavier than his lightest weight for a professional bout.
The two squared up after stepping off the scales at a sports shop in Munich.
BBC 5 live boxing reporter Mike Costello, who was at the weigh-in, said Chisora's actions were "disgraceful."
Ready for war: Dereck Chisora slaps Vitali Klitschko at the weigh-in
"Somehow, Klitschko refrained from hitting back," said Costello. "He looked shocked. It has never happened to him before."
Chisora, 28, is a big underdog going into the fight but insisted on Thursday he would take Klitschko's title.
"I will end the Klitschko reign and cause a massive upset," said the Londoner. "It is the end for Vitali, I promise you."
According to Costello, Chisora hit out at Klitschko as they posed for photographs following the weigh-in.
"Chisora leant back and slapped Klitschko hard - very hard - with his right hand on the left-hand side of Klitschko's face," he said.
"[It was] quite disgraceful behaviour from Chisora."
Costello said Klitschko had to be held back by members of his camp.
"Somehow Klitschko refrained from hitting back," said Costello, who felt the incident was not stage-managed.
"Maybe he [Chisora] was trying to gain an advantage? Looking at the demeanour of Klitschko, it hasn't worked."
Even Chisora's trainer Don Charles branded the slap "unacceptable".
Asked whether it was pre-meditated, Charles added: "I'm not Dereck Chisora. Like I said, it's unacceptable."
Promoter Francis Warren, representing his father Frank's company, said: "We're all scratching our heads about it, to be honest.
"You always expect something from Dereck - he's a character - but it's usually something that winds people up or is a bit jovial.
"So for him to get physical and aggressive, unprovoked, is surprising. But I'm sure there's method to his madness and we'll find out if the madness has paid off tomorrow night."
Asked whether he expects sanctions against Chisora, Warren said: "That's up to the governing bodies to decide. If there are sanctions, then I suppose we will find out in the next couple of weeks.
"I'll sit down and have a chat with Dereck about it but at the moment we're focused on tomorrow night.
"Dereck is obviously a fiery character and that has got him to where he is. He can react like that to situations but he is a boxer, a fighter. Let's focus on the fight."
Chisora weighed in at 17st 3lbs, just a pound heavier than his lightest weight for a professional bout.
Source - BBC
