It was revealed at the start of the year that Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury would meet for a second time in June if they could overcome their respective opponents on the Copper Box bill this Saturday.
Fury outpointed an out-of-shape Chisora during their first meeting but their mutual respect left the door open for a second helping, and providing that they can defeat American pair Kevin Johnson and Joey Abell, the two heavyweights will meet in what would likely be a stadium encounter in the summer.
Below, Sports Mole assesses whether the two British fighters can meet their end of the bargain in London on Saturday evening.
Dereck Chisora vs. Kevin Johnson
Since losing to David Haye in July 2011, Dereck Chisora has delivered three dominant performances that have put him on the cusp on a world title opportunity in 2014.
The Londoner was fortunate to earn a stoppage victory over Malik Scott, who misjudged the count from the referee after being dropped by his opponent, and despite taking a couple of heavy shots in wins over Edmund Gerber and Ondrej Pala, Chisora pummeled the duo into submission to win the European title.
The win over Pala also saw Chisora secure the WBO and WBA international straps that have helped him climb the rankings of those respective divisions, and a win over Kevin Johnson on Saturday will move him one fight away from becoming a mandatory challenger for a world title.
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However, while the 30-year-old has made light work of his last two opponents, he has been paired with a former world contender that he will be unable to blast out of the ring inside a few rounds, and Chisora will have to box his way to a win if he is to earn a second opportunity to battle Fury.
Johnson has been drafted in at short notice, but the 34-year-old has a durability that isn't usually associated in the heavyweight division. Johnson has fallen short on four occasions during a 34-fight career, but he has never been stopped, and his previous opponents include Fury and Vitali Klitschko.
The match between Fury and Johnson drew boos from the watching crowd, and Chisora may have to curb his usual bustling style to ensure that he moves through to a big payday with Fury in a few months time.
Tyson Fury vs. Joey Abell
Since getting off the floor to stop Steve Cunningham last April, it has been a frustrating 10 months for Tyson Fury, who has had to deal with two seven-figure bouts with David Haye falling by the wayside.
The disappointment appeared too much for the 25-year-old to handle when he promptly announced his retirement from the ring, but the attraction of potentially securing another major domestic showdown has enticed the unbeaten Brit back into action.
Fury has frequently been linked with a match against American knockout expert Deontay Wilder, but with their trash talk failing to result in any deal for a fight being agreed, the Morecambe-based combatant has been forced to take a different route in his career.
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Like Johnson, Abell has been drafted in as a late replacement, and while the American will arrive in England with obvious limitations, he is someone that Fury can't afford to take lightly if he wants to maintain the '0' on his professional record.
Many will look to the fact that Abell has been stopped five times in his seven defeats, but the 32-year-old has also knocked out his opponent for 28 of his 29 wins.
He found occasional success against IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev in December before suffering defeat, and Saturday's tussle with Fury is likely to go a similar way in what could prove to be a significant test of Fury's chin.
Prediction:
Even though both Chisora and Fury are heavy favourites to come through with victories on Saturday, neither bout should be considered as a foregone conclusion.
Chisora has never won a 12-round fight during his 23 matches as a professional, while Fury is fighting someone who has the potential to be as unpredictable as himself.
If Chisora can nullify Johnson's attacking capabilities, expect the Brit to win on points, and Fury may encounter problems against Abell, a stoppage win in the middle rounds should be the method of victory for the Brit.
Darren Plant
