By Sean McDaniel: IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko (55-3, 49 KO’s) is really looking forward to facing unbeaten British heavyweight Dereck Chisora (14-0, 9 KO’s) on December 11th at the SAP-Arena, Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Wladimir, 34, has picked the 26-year-old inexperienced Chisora as a tool to gain popularity in the UK so that Wladimir can make a big money fight with WBA heavyweight champion David Haye.

Wladimir has been pleased with the confidence and the promoting ability that Chisora has shown in the lead up to their fight on the 11th. Chisora has been much livelier than Wladimir’s average opponents and has come across as supremely confident of victory. Wladimir, for his part, has played it down, as if he hasn’t wanted to be seen as jumping on a fighter with little experience.

In an interview on Sky Sports Ringside, Wladimir said “I love this challenge Dereck Chisora will give me on December 11th. He will start pretty good and end really bad.” Out of all the interview statements that Wladimir has made in building up to the fight, that’s about the harshest thing he’s said. Wladimir has seemed almost apologetic about the fight and has been careful not to ruffle Chisora’s feathers by showing any disrespect to him.

Chisora hasn’t been shy about telling what he thought of Wladimir, saying he thought his fights have been boring and that he’s been bad for boxing. Chisora said this on Ringside: “I’m more than an underdog to tell you the truth. I know for a fact he’s [Klitschko] never anyone like me. I know what he’s bringing to the table – the double jab, left hand and right hook. That’s what he’s got.”

Chisora says this as if it’s not a big deal. However, Wladimir’s weapons are a big deal and if he lands his left hook and right hands often enough, Chisora won’t last long. Wladimir doesn’t need to have any more tools than the ones he’s got for him to be successful against Chisora or any other heavyweight in the division. The only question mark for Wladimir is his weak chin. Chisora has a puncher’s chance in this fight, but it’s not easy to get to Wladimir’s chin consistently enough to take him out.

Although Wladimir has been taken out in the past against big punchers Lamon Brewster, Corrie Sanders and Ross Puritty, he’s not someone that you can easily take out. It takes a surprise attack to get him out of there and in the case of those three losses; they came earlier in his career before he had refined his defensive skills. He’s hard to beat right now with his current style learned from trainer Emanuel Steward.