The boxer with a liking for Graham Norton's coats is not intimidated by the reigning WBC heavyweight champion
Strangeness wraps itself around Dereck Chisora as completely as a glove covers his fist. And so, during his last days in London before leaving for Munich, and a dangerous WBC world heavyweight title bout on Saturday against the imposing champion, Vitali Klitschko, it seems natural that an interview with Chisora should cross surreal terrain.
We start with Richard Keys, pursue Graham Norton, carry out an interview in the backseat of a car driving through town, discuss bisexuality, take in 10 rounds of sparring and then continue talking on the sweat-splattered apron of a ring. Welcome to another ordinary day in the life of a Zimbabwean-born, north London underdog – Del-Boy Chisora, who uses the theme tune from Only Fools and Horses for his walk to the ring.
Keys finds me first. Wreathed in smiles and profuse apologies for delaying Chisora, after he and Andy Gray had chit-chatted with the often truculent boxer on live radio, Keys delivers some cheery advice in the TalkSport studios. "You've got to watch yourself here," he says, winking and nodding at the fighter.
Chisora, however, is intent on leading us downstairs so that he can meet Norton – or at least the stylist for the chat-show host. Our car waits outside while the heavyweight, who loves the jackets and coats favoured by the happily camp Norton, swaps email addresses with a production assistant.
"If he doesn't answer me," Chisora says as we settle down behind our silent driver, "I'll just come back. I like Graham Norton's coats, man."
Klitschko's ominous shadow soon dwarfs thoughts of Norton's dapper look. Chisora stares bleakly at the snow-lined streets. "I'm doing good," he says quietly. "I'm motivated. The only difficult thing is the last week before the fight. There's nothing you can do. You have to relax your mind. But time is the danger, especially in the last hours. That's when you've got to stay calm."
Chisora listens closely to an anecdote about the younger Klitschko brother, Wladimir, who holds four other versions of the world heavyweight title to ensure a once glittering division is now the private fiefdom of a Ukrainian family. Wladimir twice pulled out of fights against Chisora – and I tell the Londoner how the more urbane Klitschko brother admitted to me that he was unsettled by "crazy street guys". Wladimir asked me if I thought Chisora might be crazy. "Possibly," I said, a reply which makes Chisora grin broadly.
"There was fear in Wladimir," Chisora says. "He suddenly realised I was coming to fight. He wasn't ready and he thought, 'Christ, what have I got involved in here?' Emanuel Steward [the American trainer] pulled the plug four days before the fight. That's why they pay Steward so much money."
Wladimir repeated the stunt last year when, having re-signed to fight Chisora, he withdrew and accepted a unification contest with David Haye instead. "We knew Haye wouldn't do much," Chisora sneers. "As soon as the first jab landed he folded. Haye decided to survive 12 rounds rather than risk a knockout."
The Londoner now faces the more intimidating Klitschko brother. "Vitali is much tougher than Wladimir. And he loves fighting. That's why we're going to see a great fight. Most guys are defeated before they step into the ring with the Klitschkos. They start shaking with fear in their boots. But I'm excited."
It's hard to detect any excitement in Chisora. Did he see the terrible beating that Shannon Briggs, a big American heavyweight, received from Klitschko? "Yeah," he says. "The psychology of the Klitschkos is to be nice to you before the fight and then destroy you in the ring. With them it's just business. But Briggs is stupid. He stood there and did nothing. So I have to take it to Vitali – without a doubt. Vitali don't like going backwards. I've got to go at him from the start, fight inside and hurt him."
Chisora is capable of distressing violence. Fourteen months ago he was found guilty of attacking his former girlfriend after he apparently found messages from another man on her phone. "[The judge] said he was going to lock me up for 12 weeks. He was looking down at me. He wasn't fair," Chisora says.
Yet, in the end, Chisora was sentenced to a suspended 12-week prison term with 150 hours of community service. "I liked it," he confirms, smiling with sudden warmth. "It was giving back to the community. I went round to hospitals and moved heavy furniture. I painted seating in an old people's home. I'd do that for nothing. I went to a school and built a chicken shack for the kids. That was cool. There's no harm in that. Only good."
Chisora, however, has an edge to his character. What other heavyweight would mock Klitschko's apparently rigid heterosexuality? In a face-off for BoxNation, Frank Warren's TV channel which will screen the fight, Klitschko and Chisora sat at a table with the commentator John Rawling. The astute Rawling pointed out to Klitschko that his opponent was capable of anything – Chisora had bitten one opponent in the ring while kissing another at a press conference. "I'm very conservative," Klitschko smiled. "I only kiss women."
Chisora, staring at the champion, drawled back: "I swing both ways, player, I swing both ways. Don't worry about that. I swing both ways."
"I don't wish to take a kiss from you," Klitschko said, primly.
"You know what they say?" Chisora asked. "Once you've gone black, you can't go back."
Outside his gym in Finchley, I ask Chisora if this was merely warped Tyson-esque fight psychology or if he was interested in making an important point about sexuality. "There's nothing wrong with being gay or lesbian," he says, pausing at the glass doors. "If my cousin was gay I'd support him. If my sister was a lesbian I'd support her. I didn't say I was gay."
Chisora said, seriously or not, that he swung both ways. That seems pretty brave when so many gay sportsmen find it impossible to come out. "People are ignorant," Chisora says as we step inside. "Bisexuality started a long, long time ago. You just have to support it. There's nothing wrong with it. We all bleed the same, we're all going one way in the end – six feet down. I support the gays 24/7."
Promising that we will talk more after training, Chisora warms up while office girls are put through their lunchtime workouts around him. It's not quite the setting for a world title camp – apart from 'The Bigger They Are …' banners draped above the ring. Klitschko's face stares down at us.
In the ring, as Chisora pummels Ali Adams, the London Iranian preparing to fight Audley Harrison, it's hard to forget his warm words on sexual tolerance. Is this the same man who nearly went to jail for hitting a woman? Is this a crazy wild card who may shake up heavyweight boxing?
The blows fly from Chisora, some landing low and some banging into the body, as he works with intent. His T-shirt is soon soaked with sweat and he looks incredulous when told he has sparred 10 rounds.
"I thought that was only six," Chisora says, ripping off his headguard and gloves, and unwrapping his bandaged hands. I'm still intrigued by his earlier comments. "I don't judge anyone," Chisora says.
"Most of our clients here, in my gym, are gay. They're cool people. And I haven't got any problems with bisexuals. My mum's doctor is gay. There's no problem with that. I speak to him. My girlfriend's hairdresser is gay and I joke with him all the time. He tells me everything that's going on."
It is unusual to hear a sportsman talk so openly about sexual diversity. "The world is changing," Chisora says. "If people don't change they're going to suffer."
Chisora seemed happy to imply, at least to Klitschko, that he may be bisexual. "People can say what they want to say," Chisora shrugs. "It's up to them. I don't care."
It would be a powerful statement if a boxer proclaimed his bisexuality just before a world title fight. "I could be, I could not be," Chisora says of his possible bisexuality. "Who knows? Only I know."
Chisora smiles; but I repeat the extent to which many sportsmen feel compelled to hide the truth about themselves. "You know what, "Chisora says, "they do have to hide. That's why I really respect that rugby player from Wales [Gareth Thomas] who came out. I respect him a lot. We've got to support every gay person. I personally am not gay – but I've got friends who are gay and I'm always with them. It doesn't make me gay."
Beyond challenging the public constraints that constrict all sportsmen, Chisora's sexuality should remain private. His personal choice will have no bearing on a brutal night in the ring. Lennox Lewis, in 2003, was the last man to defeat Klitschko when he was fortunate the Ukrainian was badly cut. The fight had to be stopped, even though Klitschko was ahead on points. Lewis never fought again – but he believes Chisora may have a chance against Klitschko.
"Any decent heavyweight has a chance," Chisora says. "Vitali was winning that fight and, if it hadn't been for that cut, Lennox would still be fighting, trying to get his titles back."
Does the 28-year-old find hope in the fact Klitschko is now 40? "No," Chisora says. "Age ain't nothing to Vitali."
What are his weaknesses? "His weaknesses?" Chisora echoes. "I couldn't answer." But he has surely seen some defects in Klitschko's robotic technique? "He's always got his hands down."
How many people will support Chisora in Munich? "There are nine in my team and they're expecting 15,000 Germans for Klitschko. But nine people can do a lot."
During his last fight, which he clearly won before the judges in Helsinki awarded the decision to Robert Hellenius, the unbeaten Finn, Chisora endured abuse. "It was a badly racist atmosphere. Some of my Jewish friends were there and they took real nasty words. I got it too. But we didn't care. I won the fight, in front of 15,000, and they gave him the decision. But I boxed great. I could get over the fact that they robbed me."
Chisora, rather than the lumbering Hellenius, has been given the loaded chance of risking much against Klitschko. "I'm calm now," Chisora says. "This is how I look at it. It's like a script for a Rocky movie. I think there's a Rocky theme going on in my life. You never know what might happen next with me."
Vitali Klitschko v Dereck Chisora will be screened exclusively on BoxNation (Sky 456, Virgin 546)