"I'm gonna out-box this guy" - Derek Chisora expresses confidence ahead of rematch against Kubrat Pulev

Derek Chisora (left), Kubrat Pulev (right) - Images via @derekwarchisora, @kubratpulev on Instagram
Derek Chisora (left), Kubrat Pulev (right) - Images via @derekwarchisora, @kubratpulev on Instagram

British heavyweight fighter Derek Chisora will return to the ring on July 9 at The O2 Arena in London, where he will face Kubrat Pulev for a second time. The pair first met in 2016, where they contested in Hamburg.

The Brit has expressed much confidence ahead of the heavyweight rematch and believes he will "out-box" Pulev.

The Bulgarian star was the victorious man in their first encounter, winning a tight split decision. Pulev then progressed even further after their IBF World Title eliminator to claim the vacant European crown for the second time in his career.

Chisora was speaking to iFL TV, where he expressed his thoughts ahead of next month's highly anticipated matchup, in which he said:

"Yesterday [at the press conference] it got me thinking, I'm gonna out-box this guy. I'm a better boxer I think."

Chisora then went on to say:

"Yesterday was great man, it's a great fight, it's going to be amazing. He's [Pulev] a big guy, he hasn't got that hunger anymore. He hasn't got that hunger, I can just tell. He's just doing it because he's got that proud European style [and] macho situation but the hunger is gone, I can feel it. The fights gone out of him basically."

The Brit isn't known for out-boxing his opponents but instead for his brutal brawling style, which was showcased against Dillian Whyte in two entertaining clashes. He also engaged in a slug fest when he fought against Carlos Takam, whom he knocked out in the eighth round.

Derek Chisora will be looking to rectify his previous three performances, where he lost to Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker twice. Pulev, on the other hand, has just come off the back of a victory over Jerry Forrest, winning by unanimous decision.

Watch Chisora's full interview here:

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Derek Chisora: A different boxer since first fighting with Kubrat Pulev

Since the two heavyweights first shared the ring together in 2016, the Brit has conquered many challenges with some huge names.

Chisora's biggest clashes came against British rival Dillian Whyte in two action-packed domestic affairs. The two fights made Chisora a must-watch fighter as he portrayed his heart inside the ring during both brawls.

Since becoming a hugely popular figure in British boxing, the heavyweight has earned himself some mega fights to be involved with. This includes a two-fight clash against former world champion Joseph Parker and a 12-round fight against pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk.

Derek Chisora has been a much different fighter since he last contested against Pulev as he knows how to put on an entertaining show. He is now 38 years old, while Pulev is 41 years of age.

Watch Derek Chisora vs. Kubrat Pulev 1 here:

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