DEREK CHISORA has named a heavyweight journeyman with 24 DEFEATS as the hardest puncher he has ever faced.
Veteran Chisora, 40, is preparing for his 48th professional bout on Saturday night when he takes on British rival Joe Joyce at the O2.
The Finchley-born fighter has never shied away from any opponent during his career, taking on almost all of the top names across different generations.
They have included Tyson Fury three times, Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Kubrat Pulev twice, Dillian Whyte twice, Carlos Takam, Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker twice.
Yet he did not name any of those when quizzed on the biggest puncher he has ever been in the ring with.
That accolade goes to retired fighter Paul Butlin, 48, who hung up his gloves in 2016 with a record of 16 wins, 24 losses and one draw.
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Chisora fought him back in January 2008 in his fourth pro fight and claimed a points victory over four rounds.
Yet he now recounts the bout with Butlin, who stopped just four men during his career, as a rather harrowing one.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Chisora said: “You remember this guy, Paul Butlin?
“He hit me so hard I thought the referee needed to check his gloves.
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“I will never forget when he went boom, boom and I’m like ‘God man, somebody needs to check this guy’s gloves’.
“I went back to the corner and Don [Charles] [Chisora’s former trainer] told me you need to move, you can’t stand there.
“The guy was strong and he hit me with a body shot and I was like ‘Nah, I need to box this guy’.”
Chisora has insisted he will fight twice more after the Joyce clash as he looks to reach 50 pro bouts.
That is despite many in boxing urging him to stop as he has been in countless brutal match-ups during his career.
He has won just two of his last six fights, but did have his hand raised last time out in a unanimous decision victory over Gerald Washington back in August.
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
