You look at Derek Chisora and see a fighter who has given his all in the boxing ring. Rising from the ashes of defeat and climbing back to the top has been the theme throughout his career. And it seems it’s the last hurrah, the last climb, and the last attempt for the Brit to go to war inside the squared circle. Can he do it once again? Rally behind the fans’ support and come from behind, proving his doubters wrong and pulling off a victory against Joe Joyce?

The fans will rush to the O2 Arena in London this weekend to witness Chisora put on a show for the last time. After all, he and the O2 Arena are a love story made in heaven and completed with thunderous sounds of punching, having done it 9 times till now. So, will he bag the win and revive his career, which is on life support right now? Before fans find an answer to that, let’s look at how the two boxers stack up.

Joe Joyce vs. Derek Chisora: Tale of Tape

Chisora, at 40, has spent the majority of his last 17 years putting his body on the line, swaying the fans, and making an entire generation of Britishers cheer for him. With an impressive record of 34-13 with 23 KOs, he has left his mark and rightly continues to claim his spot among the best heavyweights. The Mbare native has also lived up to his nickname, ‘War,’ and his KO ratio of 67.65% paints the same picture. What’s more? His dimensions, being tall at 6’1″ (187 cm) and having a reach of 74.0″ (188 cm), have allowed him to be the explosive and destructive self in the ring. Isn’t he a fighter that could put anyone to dust?

Joyce, at 38, has had a career that you expect a typical heavyweight to have. He is a knockout artist with heavy-handed punches, which, when swung hard, ensure that the opponents lay on the canvas face-down. The Putney resident has an impressive record of 16-2 with 15 KOs and an even more fearsome KO ratio of 93.75%.

In addition, Joyce is a towering and intimidating presence in the ring, as he stands tall at 6’6″ (198 cm), making it hard to reach his temple. You take one look at his long levers and a long reach of 80.0″ (203 cm), which permits him to reach the foe’s skin and body quicker, and realize that he is not an easy customer to deal with.

Joyce’s larger frame also allows him to add more mass to his body, and he carries around a weight of 286.0 lbs (129.7 kg), which only strengthens the power behind his punches. Compared to that, when Chisora stood last at the weighing scales, those only registered a weight of 251.1 lbs (113.9 kg). So, till now, Chisora has been trailing in size and weight advantage. Will that also translate to his actual performance against Joyce this Saturday?

Prediction: X factor, and where will the fight be won?

What separates Chisora from the rest? It’s his durability. Despite the London resident being 40, he can still unload punches with power. However, he is not a technician and only knows how to pull punches, with no heed to defense. While speed was never his forte, he has slowed down significantly, leaving himself open and, as a result, collecting more punishment than inflicting it.

Chisora’s competitors can spot his punches coming and can counter back with blows, which always seem to find the target, always. His defense has also gone to tatters. But his ability to always come back from behind, when you least expect it, is his X factor.

So, Joyce has his work cut out in Chisora. ‘Juggernaut’s speed has also been dented in recent years, and with his chin tested and shattered against Zhilei Zhang, he has all the weaknesses that Chisora can exploit. Undoubtedly, Chisora has the power to do so. Will that happen? The chances are slim.

Why? Chisora’s gas tank and stamina issues have attracted scrutiny among fans, and many continue to believe that he will come all guns blazing. If not, then Chisora will be ripe for taking and ripping him apart throughout the 12-round fight.

Joyce is a forward-rolling fighter with relentless pressure-putting skills. His powerful punches, as his X factor, and his offensive mindset will be something that might decide the fight’s outcome. You can expect Joyce to inflict punishment on him for all 12 rounds and flatline him in the later rounds, making Chisora expend his energy and himself survive the initial onslaught.

What do you make of this coming fight between Joe Joyce and Derek Chisora? Who do you think will leave the arena with a win on July 27? Let us know in the comments below.