Dereck Chisora has caused quite a stir today, one day ahead of his WBC heavyweight title showdown against Vitali Klitschko in Germany, slapping the 40-year-old star in the face at their weigh-in today. Here's the video:
That's no little slap, either -- that's a good smack. Chisora has already been fined $50,000 by the WBC, and Jose Sulaiman has more or less publicly thrown his support behind Klitschko for tomorrow's fight:
"He’s no gentleman at all, and he’s failed in what we expect of boxers. He wanted Vitali to lose control, but Vitali will make him pay for this in the ring, definitely."
Klitschko came in at 243 pounds on the scales, while Chisora was at 241.
Vitali, of course, had his own reaction, and as usual he stayed pretty calm, took it mostly in stride, and is planning to do his talking in the ring. From Sky Sports:
"I'll be hitting him back tomorrow, in the ring. He's not all there. Dereck is full of nervousness and I feel he is afraid, otherwise he would not have jumped back like he did. He hit me not like a boxer but like a woman, with an open hand. If he wants to fight properly, he must do that with his fists."
Well, if anyone was expect a dull fight still, I think this probably ups the chances that Vitali is going to come out looking for blood tomorrow. Good for boxing fans, probably bad for Dereck Chisora.
[ Related: Chisora Calls For 8th Round Stoppage ]
Bad Left Hook will have live, round-by-round coverage of Klitschko vs Chisora tomorrow afternoon.