The Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius fight has quite the undercard with some exhilarating heavyweight bouts, including one with Derek Chisora and Gerald Washington. The heavyweights who are at the latter end of their careers will look to go out with a bang. Both fighters are coming into this fight on the back of a loss. As such, they’ll both be eager to finish the other, without having to rely on the judges.
If the fight is to go to a decision, it is likely Chisora comes out as the victor, given the fight is held at the O2 Arena in London, giving him a hometown advantage. In the past, Chisora has encountered some of the best heavyweights in the world, namely, Tyson Fury, Dillian Whyte, and Oleksandr Usyk. Unfortunately, he was on the receiving end of a loss against all three fighters.
🗣️ “I’m going to f**k him up” – @DerekWarChisora
Watch the #JoshuaHelenius plus presser live: https://t.co/MZ2U1IV8cV pic.twitter.com/G0BIBiwZnR
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) August 9, 2023
Washington is coming into the fight with 5 losses in his last 7 fights, all via knockout. The former football player turned boxer had a solitary shot at the title back in 2017. Unsurprisingly, it ended in a TKO in the 5th round, when the referee rescued him from Deontay Wilder‘s barrage.
Chisora has a record of 33 wins and 13 losses with 23 knockouts. Similarly, Washington has a record of 20 wins, 5 losses, and 1 no-contest with 13 knockouts. As such, neither Chisora nor Washington can be considered the cream of the crop.
Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington Stats
Stats | Derek Chisora (39) | Gerald Washington (41) |
---|---|---|
Wins | 33 | 20 |
Losses | 13 | 5 |
Height | 6 ft 2 in | 6 ft 5 in |
Division | Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
Reach | 74 in | 82 in |
Weight | 251.1 lbs | 237.9 lbs |
Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington fight breakdown and prediction
Both Chisora and Washington have seen better days as fighters, and as such are easily past their prime. Chisora, 39, is the favorite going into the bout, owing to his toughness and resilience, which was on full display against Tyson Fury last year. Unfortunately, in spite of his tenacity, he couldn’t achieve the desired result against Fury, who is arguably the best heavyweight of his generation.
FACE OFF 👀@DerekWarChisora vs Gerald Washington#ChisoraWashington #JoshuaHelenius pic.twitter.com/k8JHH0v2Hw
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) August 9, 2023
Washington, even though the underdog, can utilize his size to his advantage, towering at 6ft 5 inches over the smaller Chisora. His best bet is to outbox Chisora and accumulate a point win, but doing that before a packed O2 Arena will be a beastly feat. The fight will probably be a slugfest with both fighters relying more on grit than on technical boxing prowess. Viewers should expect an entertaining match despite the aging boxers’ lack of ability on display.