10-24-2019, 03:53 PM
Dereck Chisora's manager David Haye kept Joseph Parker's 'spider-bite' injury secret
13:31, Oct 24 2019
Dereck Chisora's manager David Haye delayed telling the British heavyweight about Joseph Parker's withdrawal from their highly-anticipated fight so he wouldn't "take his foot off the pedal" during training camp.
Former WBO world champion Parker was due to face Chisora on Saturday night (Sunday NZT) at the O2 Arena in London on the undercard of Josh Taylor's super-lightweight unification clash with Regis Prograis.
But the New Zealander pulled out on October 2 because of an illness thought to be linked to a spider bite, which left him unable to train at his Las Vegas base.
Chisora's fellow Brit David Price (25-6, 20 KOs) was swiftly brought in as late replacement, but Haye revealed he sat on the news of Parker's pullout to ensure his fighter kept his eye on the prize.
Joseph Parker has only fought once this year and is eager to return to the ring to get back in the title talk.
"When you're geared up to fight someone who's well respected, who's a former world champion, and someone who holds a win over Andy Ruiz Jr who is the unified champion, you know you've got to mentally gear up," Haye told The Daily Mirror's After The Bell. podcast.
"As soon as I heard of the spider bite I left it for a while before I told him because there were a few hard sessions I wanted to get through with Joseph Parker in mind.
"I didn't want to tell him he wasn't fighting Parker without knowing who he was fighting. If there was ever a time to take his foot off the pedal it would have been then."
David Haye kept news of Joseph Parker's pullout quiet so Dereck Chisora didn't "take his foot off the pedal" .
While disappointed at Parker's withdrawal, Haye said Price was a worthy substitute who had the power and skill to spoil Chisora's (31-9, 22 KOs) world title ambitions.
"I spoke to [Matchroom promoter] Eddie Hearn about potential opponents and David Price's name kept coming up. He's on a winning streak and he looked great [in his last fight] against Dave Allen", Haye said.
"It was an obvious fight; he brings a lot of danger, he's 6ft 9in and I've sparred with him many times.
"I believed at one stage he could be heavyweight champion of the world. It didn't work out that way but he's got a second wave of his career and looked as good as ever in his last fight."
British heavyweight Derek Chisora was kept in the dark about Joseph Parker's illness to keep him motivated.
Haye – who knocked out Chisora in a 2012 grudge match before the pair later reconciled – said the Londoner had sparred with Price "and felt his power" and might struggle early on to get on the inside of Price's long jab.
"They don't look hard on TV but I've eaten a few of them. Hes a heavy-handed man and to beat him you've got to come through a few problems." Haye told After The Bell.
"Dereck knows he might have to weather an early storm to keep the educated pressure on and grind him down. It's going to be very, very explosive early but I see Dereck's physicality being the key to smothering David Price."
Meanwhile, Chisora has linked up with a new trainer ahead of this weekend's showdown in London. The 35-year-old will have Steve Broughton in his corner having parted company with the well-respected David Coldwell in the wake of his second-round KO win over Artur Szpilka in July.
Parker will no doubt be watching the fight with interest, and his manager David Higgins told Sky Sports last week that he was still determined to get Chisora in the ring.
"Make no mistake, we wanted to fight Chisora, we still do. We'll just see what happens," Higgins said.
Team Parker are hoping a quick result for Chisora could see the fight with him rescheduled for before the end of the year.
Stuff
13:31, Oct 24 2019
Dereck Chisora's manager David Haye delayed telling the British heavyweight about Joseph Parker's withdrawal from their highly-anticipated fight so he wouldn't "take his foot off the pedal" during training camp.
Former WBO world champion Parker was due to face Chisora on Saturday night (Sunday NZT) at the O2 Arena in London on the undercard of Josh Taylor's super-lightweight unification clash with Regis Prograis.
But the New Zealander pulled out on October 2 because of an illness thought to be linked to a spider bite, which left him unable to train at his Las Vegas base.
Chisora's fellow Brit David Price (25-6, 20 KOs) was swiftly brought in as late replacement, but Haye revealed he sat on the news of Parker's pullout to ensure his fighter kept his eye on the prize.
Joseph Parker has only fought once this year and is eager to return to the ring to get back in the title talk.
"When you're geared up to fight someone who's well respected, who's a former world champion, and someone who holds a win over Andy Ruiz Jr who is the unified champion, you know you've got to mentally gear up," Haye told The Daily Mirror's After The Bell. podcast.
"As soon as I heard of the spider bite I left it for a while before I told him because there were a few hard sessions I wanted to get through with Joseph Parker in mind.
"I didn't want to tell him he wasn't fighting Parker without knowing who he was fighting. If there was ever a time to take his foot off the pedal it would have been then."
David Haye kept news of Joseph Parker's pullout quiet so Dereck Chisora didn't "take his foot off the pedal" .
While disappointed at Parker's withdrawal, Haye said Price was a worthy substitute who had the power and skill to spoil Chisora's (31-9, 22 KOs) world title ambitions.
"I spoke to [Matchroom promoter] Eddie Hearn about potential opponents and David Price's name kept coming up. He's on a winning streak and he looked great [in his last fight] against Dave Allen", Haye said.
"It was an obvious fight; he brings a lot of danger, he's 6ft 9in and I've sparred with him many times.
"I believed at one stage he could be heavyweight champion of the world. It didn't work out that way but he's got a second wave of his career and looked as good as ever in his last fight."
British heavyweight Derek Chisora was kept in the dark about Joseph Parker's illness to keep him motivated.
Haye – who knocked out Chisora in a 2012 grudge match before the pair later reconciled – said the Londoner had sparred with Price "and felt his power" and might struggle early on to get on the inside of Price's long jab.
"They don't look hard on TV but I've eaten a few of them. Hes a heavy-handed man and to beat him you've got to come through a few problems." Haye told After The Bell.
"Dereck knows he might have to weather an early storm to keep the educated pressure on and grind him down. It's going to be very, very explosive early but I see Dereck's physicality being the key to smothering David Price."
Meanwhile, Chisora has linked up with a new trainer ahead of this weekend's showdown in London. The 35-year-old will have Steve Broughton in his corner having parted company with the well-respected David Coldwell in the wake of his second-round KO win over Artur Szpilka in July.
Parker will no doubt be watching the fight with interest, and his manager David Higgins told Sky Sports last week that he was still determined to get Chisora in the ring.
"Make no mistake, we wanted to fight Chisora, we still do. We'll just see what happens," Higgins said.
Team Parker are hoping a quick result for Chisora could see the fight with him rescheduled for before the end of the year.
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