Tim Witherspoon calls Chisora v Fury

Former world champion Tim Witherspoon has mapped out the blueprint of what fellow heavyweight title holder Dereck Chisora needs to do to beat Tyson Fury.

The former WBC and WBA king will be at Wembley Arena tonight as Chisora puts his British and Commonwealth crowns on the line against English champion Fury, live on Channel 5.

Then Witherspoon will be in the Black Country next Sunday to climb through the ropes one more time at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, in a rematch against hometown hero Nigel Rafferty.

The two first went head-to-head in a boxing exhibition at Goodyear Pavilion in April 2009, which Rafferty won on points, and will put on a show for fight fans again.

But, tonight, Witherspoon will be back in the area of perhaps his greatest night in boxing, on the week of the 25th anniversary of his 11th round stoppage win over Frank Bruno for the WBA title at Wembley Stadium.

And 'Terrible Tim' is familar with Fury's work, having been in the gym with the challenger when they were both filiming an Irish reality show, Charity Lord of the Rings, in 2009.

Witherspoon saw skills and flaws in Fury back then and believes Chisora can exploit his downfalls to his advantage tonight.

The Philadelphia-born heavyweight hitter said: "When I held the pads with Fury, he was pretty powerful and very eager to tag and do stuff, but I don't think he knew anything other than that.

"Chisora is a power puncher but what he has got to do is jab his way in and stay on the inside, don't stay out on the outside and get hit with a pot shot.

"I will be at the fight and, whoever wins, I hope boxing will be better for it.

"The heavyweight division is not on the rise right now and we need someone to dethrone those Klitschko brothers."

Tuesday marked 25 years since Witherspoon, now 53, destroyed Bruno's dreams in front of his own fans on 19 July 1986.

It was Bruno's first world title shot and Witherspoon had lost his own first chance on the big stage, outpointed by WBC champion Larry Holmes in May 1983.

But both would end their careers having won world titles after Bruno, at the fourth attempt, took the WBC belt from Oliver McCall in 1995.

Bruno's career ended the following year while Witherspoon boxed on until 2003, although nothing could match the heights of Wembley Stadium.

He said: "It was a great experience that I would never change, I loved it and look back it now and think 'wow, I was there.'

"When I fought Larry Holmes for a world title, I didn't really know where I was, I was just sent in the ring to perform.

"But, by the time of the Bruno fight, I knew what things were about, I adapted to the atmosphere and the people and I took it pretty good.

"To come from behind and knock him out in his own country would, obviously, win over the Larry Holmes fight.

"I was in pretty good shape then and it was one of the high moments of my boxing career."

For tickets to see Witherspoon box in Wolverhampton, call the Civic Box Office on 0870 320 7000.