Fury v Chisora III: A trilogy bout few wanted highlights messy scene in heavyweight division

By Sports Desk December 02, 2022

Tyson Fury returns to the ring on Saturday to face-off against old rival Derek Chisora in a bout where the talk strangely orientates around who is not there rather than the Gypsy King's actual opponent.

Having seen off Dillian Whyte in April, Fury set his sights on a 'Battle of Britain' clash against Anthony Joshua or a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk, though was unable to secure an agreement with either.

Negotiations with Joshua fell flat and Usyk made it clear that he would not fight until 2023, leaving Fury in limbo and in a situation that reflects the messy scene at the top of the heavyweight division beneath the Ukrainian and the Gypsy King.

For all the clamour for a fight between Fury and Joshua, the latter struggled in consecutive losses to Usyk, with a previous defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 resulting in three losses in the past five bouts for AJ.

Deontay Wilder lost twice in succession to Fury, while Ruiz Jr has fallen since losing his rematch to Joshua, ultimately leaving Fury treading water and forced to wait for other up-and-coming heavyweights to boost their credentials.

Of those, Joe Joyce stands as the most likely to jump to the front of the queue to face Fury but the fight against Chisora presents a massive risk, not just to Fury himself but to the heavyweight division.

A loss, though unlikely, would leave the WBC heavyweight belt tied up for a rematch and fourth bout between Fury and Chisora, potentially pushing back a unification clash with Usyk or a fiercely anticipated meeting with Joshua even further.

Chisora is the big winner in these circumstances, as in reality a fighter with 12 career defeats, including three in a row before victory over Kubrat Pulev in July, would never usually be in contention for a belt of this magnitude.

While Chisora has shown his ability to take significant hits and damage, somehow going the distance in a loss to Joseph Parker in Manchester a year ago despite being knocked down on three occasions, few would give him much of a chance against Fury.

In the heavyweight division, however, it only takes one hit to end a contest and a knockout surely stands as Chisora's only route to victory – though his last came against Artur Szpilka in 2019.

In comparison, Fury has not had a fight go the distance since a unanimous decision triumph against Otto Wallin two years ago and will fancy his chances of another quick win.

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    With the victory, Baptiste improved his professional record to 8-4-1, cementing his place as a dominant force in the Massachusetts boxing scene. Reflecting on the win, he expressed gratitude and acknowledged the hard work that went into his preparation.

    “And STILL!!!!” Baptiste exclaimed. “I would like to thank God ?? for another opportunity for me to showcase my skills and talents. Training camp was on point from beginning to end. Mark DeLuca made sure that I got 1% better each day. Was it easy? Hell no ?, but if you want to stay champion, you’re gonna have to be uncomfortable until you get comfortable to get the job done.”

    The fight marked another milestone in Baptiste’s journey, one that began in his youth as the son of Jamaican and Grenadian parents. His mother, Donna Holder Willemsen, hails from Duncans in Trelawny, Jamaica, while his father, Egbert Baptiste, who is battling cancer, is from Grenada. Julien credits both of them for his drive and determination.

    “Their strength and spirit, along with my mother’s, drive me to success,” he said.

    Baptiste’s introduction to boxing came after his college football career as an All-American free safety. While pursuing his NFL dreams, he was invited to a boxing gym by a cousin from Jamaica, and from that moment, he found a new passion.

     “I fell in love with it,” he recalled. “I was there every day. That was in New York. Then I left New York and came to Massachusetts, back to the town I went to school at, looking for work. The first gym I worked at just happened to have a boxing gym and a coach. And here I am now as Massachusetts champion.”

     In 2023, Baptiste captured the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Middleweight title, which he has successfully defended three times. His Massachusetts title has also been defended on three occasions, adding to his growing legacy.

     “I know what is at stake every time I fight because my belts are on the line every time I fight. Whenever I fight here in Massachusetts, both my belts are on the line,” he said.

     Now 35, Baptiste acknowledges that time is not on his side in the sport, but he remains focused on his ultimate goals.

     “I’m coming to the end of my athletic career. I just want to get on ESPN,” he said. “I fought on ESPN earlier this year at Madison Square Garden in February and lost by split decision. I want to get back on that stage, so hopefully by next year, I should be back on a bigger stage on television or something of that nature.”

     Beyond boxing, Baptiste’s aspirations include securing a home and retiring from the sport with his health intact.

     “I want to leave the game with my mind and my brains, my health. I want to be one of the ones leaving with my health. I want to help the youth and show that there are ways to get out of situations to better yourself,” he said.

     With his dedication, resilience, and a drive rooted in his Caribbean heritage, Julien Baptiste continues to embody the spirit of a champion both inside and outside the ring.

     

     

     

     

     

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    He also said ‘the last Saturday of every month we intend to have the same show but going forward it won’t just be amateurs. We want this platform to be from the most novice boxer which is our grassroot boxers – children, the elite amateurs – those that will over the next couple of years give the activities so that they can represent us internationally and also those boxers who want to turn pro, we give them this platform to have monthly bouts so that they can build a professional record so that they can be the choice of boxers that we carry around the island. The public deserves the best boxers when we do the Fight Night Series so this will be kind of be a feeder programme into the Series. The best boxers, the best amateurs and the best professionals that come out of this we will showcase around the island.” 

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    In front of a record-breaking, 96,000 crowd that had been further geed up by a performance from Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, it was Dubois who turned in a supersonic display on Saturday.

    Joshua saw his hopes of clinching the IBF heavyweight title slide away as Dubois dominated from the off, before delivering the knockout blow in round five.

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    "Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short," he told DAZN.

    "You know I'm ready to kick off in the ring, but I'm going to keep my cool, keep very professional, and give respect to my opponent.

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    "I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that's the game."

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