Chisora slaps Klitschko at pre-fight weigh-in

BERLIN: British challenger Dereck Chisora (right) slapped Ukrainian champion Vitali Klitschko during Friday’s weigh-in ahead of their WBC heavyweight title fight in Munich yesterday.

During the customary face-off for the cameras, Chisora slapped Klitschko’s left cheek and unleashed a barrage of insults at theukrainian, sparking a brawl involving security personnel.

“I’ll sort that out in the ring,” said Klitschko, who kept his cool while his opponent hastily left the scene.

“Maybe he had too much adrenaline,” said fight promoter Frank Warren.

Chisora has a history of pre-fight antagonism, having kissed his opponent Carl Baker on the lips prior to a title bout in 2010 that almost sparked a fight before the bell for the first round had even sounded.

In Germany, the Zimbabwe-born London native has assailed klitschko with verbal barbs, predicting a furious assault on the Ukrainian culminating in an eighth-round knockout.

Klitschko, 41 and the elder brother of IBF and WBO champion wladimir, has a record of 43 victories – 40 inside the distance – and only two defeats.

His 28-year-old adversary has 15 victories and two defeats, the most recent of which came on points against Finland’s Robert Hellenius in a European title fight in early December.— AFP