By Scott Gilfoid: Former world title challenger Dereck Chisora (20-5, 13 KOs) will be in the ring tonight against Beqa Lobjanidze (13-3, 11 KOs) in a 10 round bout at the Wembley Arena in London, UK. This is a tune-up bout for the 31-year-old Chisora, as he hasn’t fought since last November when he was stopped in the 10th round by Tyson Fury in a one-sided fight.
With the way that Chisora looked in that fight some boxing fans felt that he was finished as a fighter. Chisora didn’t help matters by staying out of the ring for the next eight months without fighting.
At Chisora’s age, you can’t really afford to lose time with your career because he doesn’t have forever to keep fighting. He’s got to make what he can with what’s left of his career.
Right now, Chisora needs to put some wins together so that he can get ranked back in the top 15. He dropped out of the top 15 rankings following his loss to Fury and his long layoff from the ring.
It is good to be back in the ring #Ilovethisgame #rosesarered @DNAFitHQ pic.twitter.com/y81ruQ4KRi
— Derek Chisora (@dellboychisora) July 23, 2015
The last time that Chisora was beaten in 2012, it took him five fights and two years to get a No.1 ranking with the World Boxing Organization. During that time, Chisora didn’t face anyone you can call a good fighter, and yet he was still given a No.1 ranking by the WBO. This time I don’t know if Chisora can afford to follow the same pattern.
If he wants to get another No.1 ranking by one of the sanctioning bodies, I believe he’s going to need to face some actual contenders ranked highly in the division, because I don’t think there’s going to be another sanctioning body that will give him a No.1 ranking based on fluff victories.
Chisora was given a world title fight by WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko in 2012 after being picked out as a voluntary challenger. I don’t think that Chisora will get selected in that way again by any other world champion. I believe that if Chisora is going to get another crack at a world title, he’s going to need to fight his way to a No.1 ranking by one of the sanctioning bodies. That’s why it would be in Chisora’s best interest to face some actual lives bodies this time around if he wants to get the No1 ranking in the next two or three years.
The last time Chisora was given a No.1 ranking by the WBO, he only had to beat these guys: Kevin Johnson, Ondrej Pala, Edmund Gerber, Hector Alfredo Avila, and Malik Scott. This time around, I think Chisora is going to need to improve on his opposition unless he’s keen on waiting around for four or five years to get a No.1 ranking. Like I said, I seriously doubt any of the world champions are going to pick Chisora out in a voluntary defense. His behavior during the run up to his title challenge against Vitali Klitschko was very odd, and I’m not sure any world champion would want to put up with that mess.
Lobjanidze has lost three out of his last six fights. He was stopped by Robert Helenius, Dillian Whyte and Otto Wallin.
Also on tonight’s card is Frank Buglioni facing Fernando Castaneda.
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