The Big Interview - Dereck Chisora v Tyson Fury

In one corner there's Chisora, the one-time bad boy of British boxing who insists he's "a better fighter and better man" than when they first met three years ago.

In the other will stand the unbeaten Fury, the outspoken and avoided challenger who quips "I have knocked you down before - and I will knock you down again."

The rematch bears little resemblance than when they last shared in a ring together in 2011, when it was Fury who had his number and looked to have left him behind, writes Craig Birch.

A flabby and lethargic 'Del Boy' had just surrendered his standing, having being outpointed and completely outclassed, and was on a downward spiral that nearly cost him his career.

Three more defeats, an ugly brawl with David Haye that left a black eye on the reputation of Britain in the sport and the withdrawal of his boxing licence were all to follow.

The big fights never came for Fury, who ended up relinquishing the British heavyweight title he won from Chisora, rather than being forced into a defence against old rival David Price.

The Commonwealth crown went the same way, although there was time to pick up the Irish belt which was tribute to his heritage.

He signed with BoxNation - joining the same Frank Warren stable which included Chisora - to address how his career had stalled.

Desperate to make up for lost time, he agreed to fight David Haye, who had come out of retirement to flatten new enemy Chisora in five rounds.

Haye pulled out on him twice, first after sustaining a cut in training and then with the shoulder injury that looks to have finished him off for good.

So Fury was left with no option but to renew acquaintances with Chisora, now the European champion, in a summer showdown only for the curse to strike again.

His opponent's withdrawal with a hand injury left Fury that frustrated, he tweeted he would "find someone in Bolton town centre to fight" if he couldn't get into the ring soon.

And now he's the one consistently in trouble with the British Boxing Board of Control, their last fine totalling a whopping £15,000 for a series of wild trash-talking tirades.

That hurt. He freely admits he's only in it for the money. It's a job to him, not a passion. And he's been overlooked for promotion time and again.

He gagged himself at a press conference in September, putting tape over his mouth and refusing to say a word. It may hit him in the pocket, but he can't stay quiet for long.

He would be happy to never clap eyes on Chisora again, but all that makes financial sense right now is that he needs him back on track.

Victory would restore the British title, land him the European title and eliminator status would make him the mandatory challenger to WBO world champion Wladimir Klitschko.

Status is not his driving force, but the big pay days are over for the foreseeable future if he loses at the Excel in London tonight, which Fury insists he won't allow to happen.

He said: "All I am bothered about is getting him in the ring, I know what I am going to do to him. He's got no brains and I am going to beat him senseless.

"It's a mismatch, to me, because the same thing will happen as last time. He's still called Dereck Chisora. Same boxer, same outcome. As long as I get the win, I don't care.

"He's nothing but a high-class journeyman, he's lost five fights and yet he's the European champion. Losing will do nothing to him. Frank Warren will probably get him a world title shot.

"People never call asking to fight me. If you are an awkward fighter, who's going to want to?

"Klitschko doesn't want to fight me, I hope one day he proves me wrong. I may never get a world title shot, but people can overate a belt to put around your waist.

"It's all about the money, belts are not going to keep me warm or put food on the table. Whoever can put the biggest purse up, that's where I will go.

"We are all Prizefighters, that's what we do as modern day gladiators. It's a money-making machine. You've got a man making millions every time he fights.

"This is about money for me and every professional, whether they like to admit it or not. If it wasn't. I would still be an amateur fighting for pots and pans."

The one thing he does have is fighting pride and he's gone into 'gladiator' mode for this one, growing a beard and calling himself 'the Gypsy Warrior.'

The 6ft 9in beast from Manchester, from a travelling family, may yet to be forced by the board to shave it off before he gets into the ring tonight.

He also claims to have exchanged letters with bearded jailbird Charles Bronson, Britain's most violent prisoner. The face hair appears to be his war paint.

But Chisora insists "you don't scare me" having raised hell on more than one occasion himself. Now a family man , he has one message - 'Mama Said Knock You Out.'

He said: "I am feeling fit and strong and ready to get him out of there. The way I have got this planned out, by round seven he'll be 5ft 5in.

"I have been working on being more mobile, I am going to be moving like Muhammad Ali.

"He's changed his condition and lost weight, he will come strong but we know he will go back to his old lazy habits. That's when I will nail him.

"I know how he's going to attack, he's going to bring his A-game but mine is better. I have got better than he is and I am going to beat this guy, mentally and physically.

"I am going to embarrass him and then take him out. I don't see this going the distance."

Both are in action tonight for the first time since February, when Chisora defeated veteran American Kevin Johnson over-the-distance.

Fury halted Joey Abell in four on the same bill but has boxed just twice in nearly two years, a period of inactivity which could yet come back to haunt him.

Three big fights have fell through in just 18 months, with decisions like passing up a world title final eliminator against Kubrat Pulev in favour of a lucrative contest against Haye backfiring.

He's spent most of the year in the gym without boxing, with even a replacement bout for Chisora in July called off after his uncle Hughie was taken ill, losing his fight for life two months later.

The 26-year-old believes he can put all that behind him and come through, scoffing at talk his range and switch hitting could be negated by Chisora learning the 'Ali Shuffle.'

Age: 26

From: Manchester

Fights: 22

Wins: 22 (16 KOs)

Losses: 0

Draws: 0

He said: "I have trained hard and long for a big fight, but I don't think you can ever be too fit. I did probably peak six months ago, so I have been in tick over mode.

"I am a smart fighter and I know I haven't been in the ring much. Years ago, I remember talking to Gerry Cooney and he warned me about inactivity.

"He hadn't boxed in over a year before he went in with Larry Holmes. He got stopped in three rounds, because he wasn't prepared right.

"You can spar all you want in the gym but if you are match fit and have been fighting regularly, then you have got the edge.

"Boxing is all about relaxing and I am a laid back person. I have the height advantage and he won't fare well against a big man who can keep him back.

"I am not your average heavyweight fighter, I am 6ft 9in with the ability to stick and move. I can be awkward for anybody on my worst night.

"He won't be able to land freely just through that, so he's down before he even starts. It's up to him to come and take me out.

"As long as I don't get drawn into a trade, it's my fight to lose. How's he going to get past my left jab? All he can do is work inside.

"We all know he can't do that. I am better at mixing it up on the inside, despite being the bigger man. He can only get his shots off at mid-range, so what is he going to do then?

"I understand boxing, so I always stick to a game-plan. I will step in and out to knock him off balance every time he loads up those big bombs.

"He's no Muhammad Ali, who could throw punches from angles, whatever he says. He will spend half his time trying to reset his feet.

"I expect him to try and get close and grapple with me. He can't win the fight."

Chisora begs to differ, arguing that he's maturing as a fighter and is a far different proposition from the man Fury knew before.

Fitness issues undoubtedly cost him that result before a punch had even been thrown, which would become a recurring theme.

This time, he's trained like never before, scaling Ben Nevis in Scotland as a short break and demanding nothing from the best from himself and those in his company.

The 30-year-old reckons Fury, family trained with his other uncle Peter in the corner, is told only what he wants to hear and isn't pushed as hard.

Age: 30

From: London

Fights: 24

Wins: 20 (13 KOs)

Losses: 4 (1 KO)

Draws: 0

Chisora said: "Good things come to those who wait and I haven't really been out of the gym, either, apart from a couple of weeks before the first date.

"Training has been like a marathon, rather than a sprint, but it's hard work every time. When you make the sessions lighter, you can lose that drive.

"I did my hand, which forced me to pull out last time, but I was back within a fortnight. I wasn't that down, I always lose when I box in the summer!

"It's been a season of bad luck for me, so I was so excited when we got the date changed. The winter is more my territory, rather than sweating buckets when it's hot.

"I have been told to let up, but some days my sparring partners have caught me in a bad mood and knew all about it. I am a powerful man.

"I am peaking, I don't think heavyweights reach their prime until they are in their 30s and that's what's happening to me.

"Tyson Fury has got yes men in his camp, I don't have those sort of people training me. They will do him more harm than good.

"If my trainers miss something, I will know and we will have a massive argument. Even when we do sit ups, they count and so do I.

"We don't shirk anything, it's all gone well and I can't complain about anything. I know when I am at the top of my game and that will show tonight."

The massive change in Chisora's aura is that he seems unusually calm, which is just as well considering how many times he's lost his temper down the years.

He could snap at the flick of a switch - him and trainer Don Charles even came to blows with each other in the build-up to the Haye fight. That was all over taking his head-guard off.

You could fill several more pages listing his misdemeanours, but he insists his hellraising days ended when he became a father earlier this year.

He's married and has got his own little family now, a far cry from when he was narrowly spared jail for assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

He's as settled as at any point since coming over from Zimbabwe as a teenager, settling in the Finchley area of London he now calls home.

He wants daughter Angelina to be proud of her daddy, so that means staying out of trouble and doing his fighting in the ring.

He said: "It's a big turning point in my life. There's nothing like having a child, it's great. I am in a much better place now.

"You don't enjoy getting old, to be honest, but it does bring more maturity. I have got my daughter and my own family now and it's all going well.

"As a man, you want to keep them safe and provide for your young ones and other half. It doesn't matter where you are from.

"What I have done in the past is in the past now, I have those experiences to take into being a Dad. I want to be the best father I can be.

"I am enjoying it, she's seven months old. I woke up the other day at 4am and I wasn't thinking about Tyson Fury, it's just my daughter wanted to play for some reason!

"That's important to me, everything else is just business."

Chisora seems on the right track inside the ring too and has given the board some much-needed peace after they gave him his licence back in March of last year, 13 months after revoking it.

Due to shameful incidents with Vitali Klitschko and Haye in Germany in 2012, plus the controversy of the latter fight, few barely remember he's boxed for the WBC world title.

The mountain to climb that had been expected since Fury had first seen him face Robert Helenius for the European title in Finland, screaming daylight robbery after losing on points.

He still landed Klitschko, much to Fury's disgust, but promoters soon regretted it when he caused mayhem before the contest.

He spat water in Wladimir's face at the pre-fight press conference, slapped Vitali once and then again when they made the introductions, before they touched gloves on the night.

A one-sided points loss, with the decorated champion literally playing with him, followed with the hate between the two clear to see.

But nothing could compare to what was about to happen with David Haye, who crashed the post-match press conference to call Vitali out.

He got into a row with Chisora, who left his seat to engage in a wild brawl that sucked in most of the room. He was arrested by German police the next morning, but released without charge.

The board may have forgiven him now but the WBC's ban is indefinite, unless he went to anger management classes. To his credit, he has done and lasted the course.

A hugely-controversial grudge match with Haye that only the Luxembourg Boxing Federation would sanction followed, with Chisora put down and out for the only time in his career.

He said: "I have never ducked anyone, I always get in the ring with the best that is out there.

"I don't want to sit there one day retired thinking of names I wish I had took on.

"I have been in with the best, even if I have lost, and I just like fighting. I have lost four times. Do I kick myself in the backside? No.

"One of those was to Tyson, of course, and my mood was that down that I threw the fight away. Then I was robbed against Helenius.

"We were all to blame against Klitschko, with me and my team thinking I was fit when I wasn't. I just lost concentration against Haye and paid the price.

"I won't sit here and make excuses but, when these happens, the only thing that matters is how you come back.

"Everybody wrote me off after Haye and now I am the European champion. I have got back on track and I am not letting it go now."

So tonight we are going to party like it's 2011 again for the rematch between Fury and Chisora. Same fighters, same outcome? Or does Chisora's redemption continue? We will soon find out.

'Bad Blood' will culminate between the two on BoxNation. Subscribe through the channel's website, with no added pay-per-view charge.