The boxer with a liking for Graham Norton’s coats is not intimidated by the reigning WBC heavyweight championStrangeness wraps itself encircling Dereck Chisora as completely as a glove covers his fist. And so, during his at the end days in London before leaving for Munich, and a perilous WBC earth heavyweight title bout on Saturday against the imposing champion, Vitali Klitschko, it seems natural that an interview with Chisora should cross surreal terrain.We commence with Richard Keys, pursue Graham Norton, carry outside an interview in the backseat of a automobile driving through town, discuss bisexuality, capture in 10 rounds of sparring and then continue talking on the sweat-splattered apron of a ring. Welcome to another ordinary day in the lifetime of a Zimbabwean-born, north London underdog – Del-Boy Chisora, who uses the theme tune from Only Fools and Horses for his walk to the ring.Keys finds me first. Wreathed in smiles and profuse apologies for delaying Chisora, after he and Andy Gray had chit-chatted with the often truculent boxer on live radio, Keys delivers some cheery advice in the TalkSport studios. “You’ve got to watch yourself here,” he says, winking and nodding at the fighter.Chisora, however, is intent on leading us downstairs so that he can meet Norton – or at least the stylist for the chat-exhibit host. Our automobile waits outside while the heavyweight, who likes the jackets and coats favoured by the happily camp Norton, swaps email addresses with a production assistant.”If he doesn’t answer me,” Chisora says as we settle down behind our silent driver, “I’ll just come back. I like Graham Norton’s coats, male.”Klitschko’s ominous shadow soon dwarfs thoughts of Norton’s dapper gaze. Chisora stares bleakly at the snow-lined streets. “I’m doing excellent,” he says quietly. “I’m motivated. The only dense body is the at the end week before the fight. There’s nothing you can do. You have to relax your intellect. However age is the danger, exceptionally in the at the end hours. That’s when you’ve got to stay cool.”Chisora listens closely to an anecdote about the younger Klitschko brother, Wladimir, who holds four other versions of the earth heavyweight title to ensure a once glittering division is immediately the private fiefdom of a Ukrainian family. Wladimir twice pulled outside of fights against Chisora – and I tell the Londoner how the more urbane Klitschko brother admitted to me that he was unsettled by “crazy street guys”. Wladimir questioned me if I thought Chisora might be crazy. “Possibly,” I said, a answer which makes Chisora smile broadly.”There was dread in Wladimir,” Chisora says. “He suddenly realised I was coming to fight. He wasn’t ready and he thought, ‘Christ, what have I got involved in here?’ Emanuel Steward [the American trainer] pulled the plug four days before the fight. That’s why they pay Steward so much money.”Wladimir repeated the stunt at the end year when, having re-signed to fight Chisora, he withdrew and accepted a unification contest with David Haye instead. “We knew Haye wouldn’t do much,” Chisora sneers. “As soon as the first jab landed he folded. Haye chose to survive 12 rounds rather than risk a knockout.”The Londoner immediately faces the more intimidating Klitschko brother. “Vitali is much tougher than Wladimir. And he likes fighting. That’s why we’re going to see a fantastic fight. Most guys are defeated before they step into the ring with the Klitschkos. They commence shaking with dread in their boots. However I’m excited.”It’s dense to detect any excitement in Chisora. Did he see the terrible beating that Shannon Briggs, a huge American heavyweight, received from Klitschko? “Yeah,” he says. “The psychology of the Klitschkos is to be nice to you before the fight and then ruin you in the ring. With them it’s just business. However Briggs is stupid. He stood there and did nothing. So I have to capture it to Vitali – without a doubt. Vitali don’t like going backwards. I’ve got to go at him from the commence, fight inside and hurt him.”Chisora is capable of distressing violence. Fourteen months ago he was found guilty of attacking his former girlfriend after he apparently found messages from another male on her telephone. “[The judge] said he was going to lock me up for 12 weeks. He was looking down at me. He wasn’t honest,” Chisora says.Yet, in the end, Chisora was sentenced to a suspended 12-week prison term with 150 hours of community supply. “I liked it,” he confirms, smiling with sudden warmth. “It was giving back to the community. I went round to hospitals and went heavy furniture. I painted seating in an ancient human beings’s house. I’d do that for nothing. I went to a college and built a chicken shack for the kids. That was cool. There’s no harm in that. Only excellent.”Chisora, however, has an edge to his character. What other heavyweight would mock Klitschko’s apparently rigid heterosexuality? In a face-off for BoxNation, Frank Warren’s TV channel which will screen the fight, Klitschko and Chisora sat at a table with the commentator John Rawling. The astute Rawling pointed outside to Klitschko that his opponent was capable of anything – Chisora had bitten one opponent in the ring while kissing another at a press conference. “I’m very conservative,” Klitschko smiled. “I only kiss women.”Chisora, staring at the champion, drawled back: “I swing both ways, player, I swing both ways. Don’t worry about that. I swing both ways.”"I don’t wish to capture a kiss from you,” Klitschko said, primly.”You know what they affirm?” Chisora questioned. “Once you’ve gone black, you can’t go back.”Outside his gym in Finchley, I inquiry Chisora if this was merely warped Tyson-esque fight psychology or if he was interested in making an vital mark about sexuality. “There’s nothing incorrect with being gay or lesbian,” he says, pausing at the glass doors. “If my cousin was gay I’d support him. If my sister was a lesbian I’d support her. I didn’t affirm I was gay.”Chisora said, seriously or not, that he swung both ways. That seems attractive courageous when so many gay sportsmen find it impossible to come outside. “Human beings are ignorant,” Chisora says as we step inside. “Bisexuality started a extended, extended age ago. You just have to support it. There’s nothing incorrect with it. We all bleed the same, we’re all going one path in the end – six feet down. I support the gays 24/7.”Promising that we will talk more after training, Chisora warms up while office girls are place through their lunchtime workouts encircling him. It’s not quite the setting for a earth title camp – apart from ‘The Larger They Are …’ banners draped above the ring. Klitschko’s face stares down at us.In the ring, as Chisora pummels Ali Adams, the London Iranian preparing to fight Audley Harrison, it’s dense to forget his warm words on sexual tolerance. Is this the same male who nearly went to jail for hitting a woman? Is this a crazy wild card who may shake up heavyweight boxing?The blows glide from Chisora, some landing low and some banging into the body, as he works with intent. His T-shirt is soon soaked with sweat and he looks incredulous when told he has sparred 10 rounds.”I thought that was only six,” Chisora says, ripping off his headguard and gloves, and unwrapping his bandaged hands. I’m still intrigued by his earlier comments. “I don’t judge anyone,” Chisora says.”Most of our clients here, in my gym, are gay. They’re cool human beings. And I haven’t got any problems with bisexuals. My mum’s doctor is gay. There’s no difficulty with that. I speak to him. My girlfriend’s hairdresser is gay and I joke with him all the age. He tells me everything that’s going on.”It is unusual to hear a sportsman talk so openly about sexual diversity. “The earth is changing,” Chisora says. “If human beings don’t alter they’re going to suffer.”Chisora seemed pleased to imply, at least to Klitschko, that he may be bisexual. “Human beings can affirm what they desire to affirm,” Chisora shrugs. “It’s up to them. I don’t attention.”It would be a powerful statement if a boxer proclaimed his bisexuality just before a earth title fight. “I could be, I could not be,” Chisora says of his imaginable bisexuality. “Who knows? Only I know.”Chisora smiles; however I repeat the extent to which many sportsmen feel compelled to hide the truth about themselves. “You know what, “Chisora says, “they do have to hide. That’s why I really respect that rugby player from Wales [Gareth Thomas] who came outside. I respect him a abundance. We’ve got to support every gay person. I personally am not gay – however I’ve got friends who are gay and I’m always with them. It doesn’t constitute me gay.”Beyond challenging the public constraints that constrict all sportsmen, Chisora’s sexuality should remain private. His personal choice will have no bearing on a brutal night in the ring. Lennox Lewis, in 2003, was the at the end male to defeat Klitschko when he was fortunate the Ukrainian was terribly divide. The fight had to be stopped, much though Klitschko was ahead on points. Lewis never fought again – however he believes Chisora may have a chance against Klitschko.”Any decent heavyweight has a chance,” Chisora says. “Vitali was winning that fight and, if it hadn’t been for that divide, Lennox would still be fighting, trying to get his titles back.”Does the 28-year-ancient find hope in the circumstance Klitschko is immediately 40? “No,” Chisora says. “Age ain’t nothing to Vitali.”What are his weaknesses? “His weaknesses?” Chisora echoes. “I couldn’t answer.” However he has surely seen some defects in Klitschko’s robotic technique? “He’s always got his hands down.”How many human beings will support Chisora in Munich? “There are nine in my team and they’re expecting 15,000 Germans for Klitschko. However nine human beings can do a abundance.”During his at the end fight, which he clearly won before the judges in Helsinki awarded the choice to Robert Hellenius, the unbeaten Finn, Chisora endured abuse. “It was a terribly racist atmosphere. Some of my Jewish friends were there and they took absolute nasty words. I got it also. However we didn’t attention. I won the fight, in front of 15,000, and they gave him the choice. However I boxed fantastic. I could get over the circumstance that they robbed me.”Chisora, rather than the lumbering Hellenius, has been given the loaded chance of risking much against Klitschko. “I’m cool immediately,” Chisora says. “This is how I gaze at it. It’s like a script for a Rocky movie. I reckon there’s a Rocky theme going on in my lifetime. You never know what might happen following with me.”Vitali Klitschko v Dereck Chisora will be screened exclusively on BoxNation (Sky 456, Virgin 546)Dereck ChisoraBoxingDonald McRaeguardian.co.uk © 2012 Twitter News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Employ of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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