David Haye reveals Dereck Chisora’s £1000 sparring partner challenge ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight, says Chisora is ‘reborn’ and will ’cause an upset of epic proportions’

David Haye has told talkSPORT that Dereck Chisora has been offering his sparring partners an extra £1000 if they can knock him down in training.

The Brit is set to face former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in his first real test at heavyweight on Saturday night.

Haye now manages former foe ChisoraGetty Images - Getty

Most are backing the magnificent Ukrainian to come out on top, however Chisora’s manager Haye has other ideas.

“You’re going to see a Dereck Chisora like you’ve never seen before,” Haye told talkSPORT, “Every round of sparring has been 100 per cent. He has been trying to knock everybody out from the first round.

“His sparring partners have been paid an additional £1000 if they can knock Dereck Chisora down. They have been trying every round.

“We have had six sparring partners ready, fresh, two rounds in and keep rotating sparring partners just to put the absolute heat on Dereck Chisora in preparation for this mega fight – and he has absorbed it.

Chisora dressed up for the weigh-in on SaturdayMark Robinson/Matchroom

“He has become so battle hardened, so strong, so focused that he is a going to cause one of the biggest upsets ever on British soil in the heavyweight division.

“This is a life and death fight for Dereck Chisora. He knows that. He has lost nine fights. Versus someone who has never lost. On paper, Dereck Chisora has got no chance of winning.

“But I am telling you Dereck Chisora is going to cause an upset of epic proportions and nobody will see it coming. Usyk has picked the wrong guy.

“Dereck Chisora is reborn. He has conditioned himself like no other time.

Chisora stopped Artur Szpilka and David Price last yearMark Robinson/Matchroom

Haye sent a warning to Usyk earlier this week, telling talkSPORT that the very best version of Chisora will be on show this weekend.

He suggested that the fact the favourite is moving up a weight division could be crucial in tipping the fight in his man’s favour.

Haye explained: “He [Usyk] can do everything, he can juggle with his feet. He can do all these crazy things that most other fighters can’t do.

“But what I think he’s lacking is that one punch power to take out the big man. That’s what I had.

Usyk has won all 17 of his professional bouts, 13 of them via knockoutEd Mulholland/Matchroom

“When Evander Holyfield moved up and challenged for the heavyweight title against Buster Douglas, who beat Mike Tyson, he knocked him out with ONE punch, a right hand on the button. He had that firepower.

“When I went up to heavyweight and fought Nikolai Valuev, he was seven stone heavier than me. I had to hit him so hard on the chin to get his respect and keep him away from me.

“I don’t think Usyk has that punch power. I don’t think he has that one single shot that can keep Dereck Chisora off. I know I couldn’t keep him off me and I punched significantly harder than Usyk does.

“I’ve talked to Usyk’s team and they think he’s just going to out-box Dereck and I’m telling them it ain’t going to happen. You’re going to find yourself in a real dogfight and it’s going to be really painful.”