Derek Chisora vows to knock Kubrat Pulev out when they fight in July

Derek Chisora and Kubrat Pulev agree to a secret bet on stage at their announcement press conference as the Brit ‘guarantees’ to knock his rival out when they meet in July

• Derek Chisora vows to knock out Kubrat Pulev in their July heavyweight bout 
• Chisora has lost his three previous fights, Pulev has lost only twice in 31 fights
• Both huddled with Eddie Hearn and put pride on the line by making a secret bet 

‘Where is he? Where’s Derek?’ an agitated Kubrat Pulev bellowed to promoter Eddie Hearn, as his wait for Chisora to arrive at Friday’s announcement press conference extended beyond the hour mark.

It was fitting for a bout billed ‘Total Carnage’, one that was hastily arranged, after a deal to set Chisora up against Adam Kownacki fell through. Chisora had taken it upon himself to publish a picture of the Kownacki fight contract online. ‘That ruffled some feathers,’ Hearn told reporters.

It was Pulev who emerged victorious when he and Chisora went to war six years ago in Hamburg, Germany, and the opportunity to gain revenge on July 9 at the O2 Arena – both for the Londoner and his promoter Hearn – was an unexpected proposition neither could turn down.

Derek Chisora and Kubrat Pulev last fought in 2016, with Pulev coming out on top

When Chisora did finally arrive, the pair embraced; the respect between the two was evident throughout. Yet, there was a steely confidence exuded by both fighters, with Del Boy willing to put more than his reputation on the line.

The 38-year-old’s confidence clearly hasn’t been knocked by his three successive defeats – first to Oleksandr Usyk and then a pair of losses to Joseph Parker – as he vowed to end the impending bout within the 12-round distance.

‘Yes, I’ll stop him,’ he said, when asked by Hearn if he believes he can knock the stubborn Bulgarian out. ‘I guarantee I’ll stop him.’ It’s only happened twice before – by Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua, his only two defeats from 31 fights.

Chisora was supremely confident despite having lost his last three bouts consecutively 

Those statistics clearly haven’t made an impression on a war-hungry Chisora, though. ‘I’m going to guarantee him a bet, if he wants to, that I’ll knock him out,’ he said. ‘Do want to have a bet on that?’

At 41 years old, Pulev has seen it all before, and for a while he skated around the topic, insisting his opponent ‘talks too much’. But after some coercion, he said ‘deal’.

The three main protagonists on the stage – Hearn, Chisora and Pulev – huddled, whispering, hiding exactly what the bet was. We’ll no doubt find that out in due course.

Pulev’s only two previous losses came at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua

For Pulev, Chisora’s talk of a knockout was exactly that – just talk. ‘How? How are you going to guarantee a knockout?’ he asked.

‘It’s all talk. We need to see something real. Not only in sport but in politics, everyone talks so much bulls**t. How are you going to guarantee you stop me? This is not real.’ Chisora’s response? ‘A Jab, right hand, and you’re going to drop.’

It’s a result that would no doubt send the O2 Arena crowd into a frenzy. But, importantly for Del Boy, the fans will remain whatever the outcome. And despite heading in to the twilight period of his career, he vows to bring the action once more.

Chisora’s promoter Eddie Hearn was on stage as the two heavyweights made their secret bet

‘For me, my plan is my fans. Entertainment is that plan; that’s what I like. I’ve lost so many fights, I’ve won what I wanted to win, but it’s irrelevant to me. I wake up every morning, I go to training, I still have the hunger for it.

‘I get these younger guys who come into the gym with me, and I see in their eyes the fear they’ve got when they get to round three or four. I’m still hungry, I still want to fight, and I still want to cause damage.’

Just over four weeks remain until the fighters do take the ring, when we’ll find out whether Chisora can stick to his word and land that jab, that right hand and earn himself a massive winter showdown.

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