Derek Chisora has criticized the decision to put a WBA heavyweight title on the line when Tyson Fury faces Anthony Joshua on December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Speaking on The Sun’s Corner Talk series, the British heavyweight called boxing “unfair” and argued the two former world champions should fight for the British title instead.
Chisora questioned why Fury and Joshua should get another chance to win a major belt when both have lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk and are currently behind other fighters in the WBA rankings.
His comments have renewed the debate over boxing’s many championship belts and whether big fights should receive world-title status because of their commercial appeal. Chisora believes the decision overlooks the division’s recognized champions and leading contenders.
Derek Chisora Questions Fury vs Joshua World Title Fight
Chisora believes the WBA should not award its vacant “Super” heavyweight title to Fury and Joshua. The organization’s recognized heavyweight champion is Murat Gassiev, while Jarrell Miller holds the number one ranking. Fury and Joshua sit second and third, respectively.
“Tyson Fury and AJ should fight for the British title, that’s it. Not other belt,” Chisora said.
He argued that both fighters have already suffered defeats and stepped away from boxing before returning.
“I don’t get it, they’ve both lost to a real champion and then suddenly we should give them a WBA Super title, for what reason? Because they’ve sold out a stadium? That’s not fair, fight for the British title.”
Chisora has also made his position clear at an IBA event in Istanbul. He believes the historic Lord Lonsdale Belt would be a more suitable prize for a contest between two British heavyweights who have previously held it.
“It’s a British fight between two heavyweights from Britain,” he said. “I believe they should be fighting for the Lonsdale belt; it’s better than any other belt right now…”
Derek Chisora Slams Boxing’s World Title System
The heavyweight veteran also criticized the number of championship belts used across professional boxing. He believes the different titles make it harder for fans to understand who the real champions are.
“We are killing boxing with these titles. Why do we need a super champion? For what? Why is it in boxing that we have to make different belts for the sake of the people who are not boxing to make more money off it,” Chisora said.
The debate follows Oleksandr Usyk vacating his belts earlier in 2026, which changed the heavyweight title picture. The WBA then moved to put its “Super” title on the line for Fury vs Joshua, despite Gassiev remaining its recognized champion.
Gassiev has also suggested Fury should challenge him directly rather than compete for a newly created title.
Chisora’s own history with the two British fighters adds context to his comments. Despite rating Fury’s career achievements highly, Chisora has predicted Joshua will win their upcoming fight.
“AJ will beat Tyson Fury,” he said in another interview. “He’s got the power. One thing about AJ, whether it’s round 6, round 8, round 12, you’re going to get knocked out.”
Fury vs Joshua Fight Draws Attention Amid Title Debate
Fury vs Joshua is scheduled for December 11 at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, with Netflix set to stream the fight.
However, both fighters have faced questions about their recent records and opponents. Joshua’s recent activity included a knockout win over YouTuber Jake Paul, while Fury’s comeback fights against Arslanbek Makhmudov and Mariusz Wach also attracted criticism over the level of opposition. Fury and Joshua have each suffered two defeats against Usyk, with no rematch clause included in their contracts for the December showdown.
Chisora is also planning a December return, with Gassiev among the opponents linked to him.
The decision to award a WBA title for Fury vs Joshua has reignited questions about whether boxing’s world championship belts still reflect merit in the ring. Chisora believes commercial success should not decide who gets to fight for a world title.
For him, the answer is simple: Fury and Joshua should compete for the British title, while world championships should reflect the division’s rankings and recognized champions.
Dogli Wilberforce is a boxing writer for Sportsnaut, covering fight news, fighter reactions, and major bouts involving the sport’s … More about Dogli Wilberforce