Derek Chisora disagrees with YouTuber earning a world ranking but does think he’s good enough to beat Carl Froch

The popular heavyweight is in Saudi Arabia to promote the eight-round fight between the pair on Sunday night in Riyadh, which will be shown on BT Sport Box Office (2200 GMT), and shared his views on a range of issues surrounding the each other changing landscape with boxing.

Paul has won all six of his contests, but his resume is limited to a fellow YouTuber, an ex-NBA player and three mixed martial artists – including two wins over Tyron Woodley – making the younger brother of the world heavyweight champion Tyson his first opponent from boxing.

Fury (8-0, 4KO) also had an unbeaten start to his career but recently conceded that he would have to retire from boxing at the age of 23 if he suffered the shame of losing to a youtuber.

Nonetheless, Paul is the bookmakers’ marginal favorite and Chisora ​​can see it’s very close.

The 39-year-old, who lost to Tyson Fury in December, told the Daily Mirror: “Jake seems to be the favorite at the moment. So all the odds are in Jake and everything, all the fans are like, ‘Jake, Jake, Jake.’ But I have a feeling that maybe Jake will be stopped by Tommy, but when that happens it’s ‘oh wow’.

“But when it’s the other way around, it’s not great. Everyone’s like, ‘Jake, Jake, Jake,’ and I think what’s happening right now is Jake’s confidence level is so high that he easily brushes Tommy off.”

“There has been so much back and forth and it is happening now. I like it Tommy FuryI like Jake, I like everyone because they’re just young guys trying to make a living.

Though he’s a fan of the entertainment Paul brings, Chisora ​​contradicts last week’s announcement that he would receive a WBC cruiserweight ranking if he emerges victorious on Sunday.

He said: “I don’t think he deserved it. It’s hard enough for real boxers to earn those rankings. But then WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman decides to award a double ranking for getting some greens in his back pocket. No, that’s a disgrace to boxing. That’s unfair.”

However, Chisora ​​warms to the Youtube boxing scene, saying: “I didn’t take it but you have to understand that times are changing, the world is changing right now and you have to evolve with it. Back then It was all like cowboys running around on horses, then cars came along, so things change and we just have to evolve with them.

“It’s hard because the original boxing fans don’t pay that much attention to boxing anymore [there’s a] younger audience. Growing up I was into Rocky, a big Rocky fan. But people don’t watch Rocky anymore, they watch Creed and times are moving on now, so we just have to move on.”

Del Boy also caused a stir when he later claimed he would bet £200,000 on Paul defeating former unified super middleweight champion Carl Froch should their paths ever cross.

Chisora ​​told iFL TV: “Good luck to Jake Paul. The guy thinks he can do anything, and when you’re that young you think you can do anything. He is entertainment. Those people who talk nonsense about him can’t, that’s why. Nothing wrong with that. Carl Froch will go in there and get his ass kicked and get your check, bro.

“He will beat Carl Froch. He will take the venom out of the cobra. He will beat Carl Froch. I’m willing to bet 200,000 that Carl Froch gets his a*** done. I’m 100% serious, Carl Froch is going to get his a*** done.”

Meanwhile, Ilunga Makabu meets Badou Jack for the WBC cruiserweight title on the undercard.

Paul v Fury: Big fight details

• Venue: Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
• Date and Time: Sunday February 26 at 10pm GMT
• TV channel: BT Sport box office, £19.95
• Skybet Odds: Paul 8/11, Anger 5/4

Paul v Fury: Running Order and Under Card

• MAIN EVENT: Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury
• Ilunga Makabu vs. Badou Jack (WBC Cruiserweight Title)
• Bader Samreen vs. Viorel Simion
• Muhsin Cason vs. Taryel Jafarov
• Ziyad Almaayouf vs Janos Penzes
• Adam Saleh vs. Stuart Kellogg

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