Coldwell discusses Fury vs Chisora, AJ and Shields vs Marshall

DAVE COLDWELL: Tyson Fury fighting Chisora rather than Joshua is like expecting a Porsche but getting a Fiat 500 – and the AJ fight will now NEVER happen… Plus why Shields vs Marshall is monumental – and NOT because it’s an all-female card

  • Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora are reportedly in talks to fight on December 3
  • The Gypsy King had been in talks to fight British rival Anthony Joshua instead 
  • Dave Coldwell insists a third match-up against Chisora is a bad look for the sport 
  • However, Coldwell is looking forward to Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall 
  • The trainer insists the undisputed middleweight clash is simply too close to call

First it was Oleksandr Usyk, then it was Anthony Joshua, and now it’s Derek Chisora who Tyson Fury appears to be fighting on December 3. 

And while I’m delighted for Derek, this really does feel like the equivalent of passing your driving test, expecting to receive a Mercedes or a Porsche from your parents and ultimately ending up with a Fiat 500. 

No disrespect to Fiat 500 owners, but when an all-British mega-fight against Anthony Joshua or an undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk appeared to be on the cards, for the sport and for the fans, a trilogy fight against a former foe is not what the fans wanted. 


Tyson Fury (left) and Derek Chisora (right) are reportedly in talks to fight on December 3

Dave Coldwell, who used to coach Chisora, is delighted the Briton is getting his shot, but insists it’s a disappointing fight for the fans

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not diminishing Derek’s achievements. In fact, after what he’s provided for British boxing, the fights he’s been involved in, I’m absolutely over the moon he’s getting his shot.  

But we now have the elite heavyweight in the division, a man who calls himself the best of all time, one who has just a handful of fights remaining, picking an opponent who he has beaten twice before to give his mate one final payday. 

For Derek, as I say, this is the perfect send-off, in what I think will be his last-ever professional fight. I thought he should have retired after his loss to Joseph Parker last year, and I told him that myself, but he loves fighting, and now he gets to face Tyson Fury for the heavyweight title before riding off into the sunset. 

I guess it was Derek who was right in this instance, and me who was wrong.  

Take that away, however, and you’re left with a bad look. It’s poor for the division and it’s poor for the sport. And what it shows is that Fury obviously isn’t bothered about who he’s fighting. If he was, Mahmoud Charr – another joke of an option – would not have been considered. 

Fury had been in talks to fight Anthony Joshua in an all-British mega-fight before negotiations fell through

There are plenty of other fighters out there – you only have to look as far as Queensberry stablemate Joe Joyce. I’m not saying Joyce would beat him; I’m not saying anyone would beat him, but at least it would be more interesting. 

But if you’re not getting Joshua or Usyk, and you’re simply looking for a fight to tide you over, you’re not going to take on an absolute terminator who just keeps coming, like Joyce. He’s gone for the easy option. 

Unfortunately, we’re now left with what appears to be a Ricky Hatton vs Junior Witter situation, though obviously on a much bigger scale. At the time in Britain we all wanted to see that, but it never happened. 

We all wanted to see Joe Calzage vs Carl Froch; that never happened either. I think this is the next one in that line. I don’t think it will happen. I think we’ve missed the window for it, I really do.

One fight we are getting, though, and particularly after what has been a thoroughly difficult couple of weeks in boxing, is a cracker of a fight between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall.  

Claressa Shields (left) and Savannah Marshall (right) fight in an historic match-up on Saturday

On Saturday night the UK will see it’s first-ever all-female boxing card in what is undeniably a momentous occasion not only for women’s boxing but women’s sport. 

But that’s not what makes the event so special. That’s not what truly shows how far women’s boxing has come. What actually does that is the main event. It’s Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall – not a great women’s fight, simply a great fight. 

For me, that’s more of a credit to women’s boxing; the fact I’m getting stopped on the street by people asking my prediction says it all. 

For anyone asking who will win, by the way, just flip a coin. 

The pair are two very different fighters – and two very, very good fighters.  You’ve got Marshall, who’s massive for the weight. She’s got the range, she’s got the height, she’s a slick boxer – and she’s got incredibly heavy hands. 

I was there when she won the world title against Hannah Rankin, sat about 15 feet away, and you could hear the shots landing. It was a thud we are used to hearing in the men’s game, but I’d never heard anything like it in a woman’s fight. She’s the biggest female puncher I’ve ever seen. 

Coldwell was ringside when Shields defeated Hannah Rankin to become a world champion

The trainer was also in attendance as Shields displayed her boxing prowess against Ema Kozin

But additionally, she can actually box. She’s worked with Peter Fury, and she’s now got this smooth, languid, awkward style. She’s very relaxed and rides punches like a throwback fighter. But at the end of these shots are very heavy punches.

Then in the other corner you have Shields, who I watched in Cardiff when she fought Ema Kozin on the undercard of Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Williams. I know it wasn’t her best performance, but seeing her up close, her defensive skills and boxing ability are outstanding. 

I don’t think Claressa Shields will have the power to knock Savannah Marshall out, and if she wins it will likely be on points. Marshall, though, could both outbox Shields and knock her out. If she lands clean, anyone in the division would know about it.

Shields might need to be perfect throughout, but she’s the kind of girl who can do that. I genuinely can’t confidently pick either way, and that tells you what a great, great fight this is.




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