Tyson Fury claims he rates Derek Chisora as highly as he does Oleksandr Usyk after his old British foe stepped in for a shot at the world heavyweight title.
Fury will take on Chisora for a third time on December 3 after the collapse of negotiations for a money-spinning domestic showdown with Anthony Joshua earlier this month.
The bout against Chisora, whom Fury previously beat in 2011 and 2014, will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and represents the 34-year-old’s first fight since his sixth-round stoppage of another Brit, Dillian Whyte, in April.
The plan is to use Chisora, 38, to tune up for a proposed unification fight with Ukrainian Usyk, who beat Joshua for the second time in August, next year.
This contest does not have the allure of a blue-riband showdown with Joshua, but Fury insisted: “I’m not trying to sell this fight. I have offered the big guys the fights and they don’t want the smoke.
“Chisora took it because he has balls. These people know who they are.
“We tried to fight Joshua and Usyk and they didn’t want it. I have £10,000 in cash that I’ve collected from (promoter) Frank Warren because I bet him it that Joshua would not sign the contract.
“So I am now 10 grand up tax free – and that means more to me than £10million, because it is cash in my hand.”
Chisora lost a points decision to Usyk in November 2020, and Fury added: “Del did very well against Usyk.
“I rate Chisora as highly as I do Uysk, so I will train like he is the hardest fight in the world.
“I’ll leave everything in the ring. And if I get beaten it will never be because of injury or any other excuse.
I am not going to call Chisora names, I fought him twice and respect him and I'm a fan of his
“His style has changed but so has mine. I used to jib and jab and now I am a destroyer. So someone is getting knocked out.
“If he lands a big swing on me I am getting knocked out and vice versa, so the fans are in for a treat.
“I am not going to call Chisora names, I fought him twice and respect him and I’m a fan of his. When he fights I want him to do well. You look at his resume and respect him.
“He has fought the best of this generation and most of his losses have been to world champions, past, present or future.
“But I just don’t think he can beat me. I will beat Chisora and then the little middleweight guy (Usyk).”
Chisora’s last outing was a split-decision victory against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in June.
He said: “Tyson has always said there would be a third fight and here it is, I am excited and thank Tyson for the opportunity to fight him.
“There’s no bad blood – but I want to take what is his and make it mine.”
