Coach Don Charles has been criticized for not giving up during a match Derek Chisora was repeatedly beaten by Tyson Fury.
Shortly after the fight was announced, much of the boxing world declared Fury, who was defending his WBC title, to come out victorious. It turned out to be true – The ‘King of Gypsy’ arbitrarily landed on ‘Del Boy’ and even seemed to step back to show mercy. This is the third time the couple has fought, and the third time Convincing victory for Fury.
Charles boxed up as a super heavyweight boxer at the amateur level before moving on to training. He has coached Chisora since his third professional match. The couple split in 2019 for the boxer to link up with Dave Coldwell and then David Haye, but reunited recently.
Despite the criticism that came to him, the experienced trainer who knew his boxer well was still faced with the decision to let the competition take place. I said seconds out that many of Fury’s shots were partially blocked.
“At no point did I feel that he was in such danger that I needed to withdraw this fight… He was beaten, certainly more times than he had met in previous competitions with anyone. Tyson Fury put together well… a lot of the punches – to the public, who don’t have the same keen eye as the trainer – were partially blocked. Some have come in clean.
“I will always ask, after my boxers recover ten seconds after they sit down… ‘how are you feeling?’ Always my question for fighters. Provided that the boxer answers me, and what his speech is like, I know. Exactly. And then it’s my job to remind them what they have to do in the next round.”
“Every round that goes by, I talk to my fighter. So is my fighter, every round he goes on the field telling me to ‘get out’ – and that’s Derek’s code for I’m fine. ‘Get out because I’m going to go and do something about what’s happening in that ring.’”
Charles went on to say that another reason for him to continue the fight is because this will be Chisora’s last chance to compete for the world title, his only other challenge being against Vitali Klitschko in 2016. 2012.
However, he is planning to pull out his fighter if he doesn’t see the tide threatening to change direction in the tenth round. Referee Victory Loughlin ultimately gave that decision to him by dismissing it – a decision that Charles said he agreed with.
“My intention is, if my boy comes back at the end of the tenth round then I will have to make a decision. I did it in the past.
When I’m criticized, which I don’t mind… my question to the critics is if they were Don Charles for a moment, which ring would they pull Derek Chisora out of? And for what reason? Because he took the hammer like that? I must disagree. Not the war I’m watching.
It’s unclear where the fighter-trainer partnership will go next. Despite calls from former professionals and friends asking Chisora to retire, he later told the media that he didn’t want to ‘go away like that’.
