Chisora reveals secret to success ahead of Fury showdown

LONDON — Derek Chisora has been taking part in regular Pilates sessions to help improve his “breathing” and “punching power” ahead of his heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury.

The British duo — who have shared the ring on two prior occasions — will square off again at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3 in a bout that has drawn plenty of criticism.

Chisora is looking to dethrone Fury as the WBC champion on Saturday night and claims his 30 minute Pilates sessions will be the secret to his success as he is feeling “freer” than ever in his “upper body”.

Chisora says his Pilates sessions have helped with mobility, breathing and recovery. He told Sportsmail via Exhale Pilates London: “Doing Pilates twice per week has helped with my breathing as well as feeling freer in my upper body, especially after sparring. It’s also great for my recovery.”

Chisora’s trainer Don Charles also shared his thoughts on the 38-year-old’s unique training method.

He said: “As part of Derek’s fight and recovery programme, we’re currently working with Exhale Pilates London.

“We’ve seen massive improvement with both his punching power and overall performance in preparation for his big fight, all thanks to Pilates.”

Sportsmail spoke to Gaby Noble — who is Chisora’s Pilates teacher and the founder of Exhale Pilates London — exclusively to discuss the heavyweight’s training regime in more detail.

Noble has revealed how Chisora would attend two Pilates sessions per week as a part of his recovery programme. She said his sessions last no more than 30 minutes and that they would take place immediately after his sparring sessions.

She also explained how they would work on breathing exercises, movements to calm his central nervous system down and ways to release tension in his shoulders, arms and hips.

Noble exclusively told Sportsmail: “Derek has incorporated two Pilates sessions with me per week for the past eight weeks as part of his recovery programme.

“His sessions are no more than 30 minutes and they come straight after sparring. We predominantly work on breathing exercises, movements to calm his central nervous system down, and releasing tension in his shoulder girdle, arms and hips to reverse the signs of the continuous impact from being in the ring.”

When asked whether the Pilates sessions would give the 38-year-old an advantage over Fury, Noble said: “Chisora has a gruelling training regime so it's important that if you train super hard, you must recover super hard too, and this is where his Pilates programme helps.

“Breathing exercises help muscles to recover and boost his stamina by increasing his lung capacity. Lengthening muscles in his arms from a strong core can also give him a longer and more connected reach. Let’s hope we can see the results on Saturday!” —