Champion Vitali Klitschko has Dereck Chisora rematch wish denied

Ukrainian wants to knock out Briton in the ring after a brawl leaves WBC heavyweight winner affected "emotionally".

Vitali Klitschko (Ukraine). The former heavyweight world boxing champion is the mayor of Kiev.
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BERLIN // Vitali Klitschko, the world heavyweight champion, said he wants to grant Dereck Chisora a rematch to "punish" the British fighter for his brawl in Munich with David Haye, but his manager has blocked the idea.

Klitschko defended his WBC heavyweight title on Saturday night with a unanimous win over Chisora. In the post-fight press conference, the loser traded blows and insults with the former champion Haye.

Both Chisora, 28, and Haye, 31, are under investigation by German police, who have said they could both face prison sentences or fines.

Having seen Chisora leave the press conference stage to confront Haye, who was working at the fight as a television commentator, Klitschko was shocked to hear the pair trade insults and blows with Chisora shouting that he wanted to “shoot” Haye.

Chisora also slapped Klitschko in the face at the pre-fight weigh-in, then spat water in the face of his brother Wladimir just before the title bout.

Chisora has had part of his fight purse withheld after the slap incident.

“In spirit, I have no need for revenge, but my ego tells me that this man deserves real punishment. I want to knock him out in the ring,” the Ukrainian champion told the German newspaper Die Welt.

Klitschko, 40, damaged his left shoulder in the fight and will take up to eight weeks off, but his management moved quickly yesterday to discourage any rematch plans.

“A rematch is inconceivable and won’t happen,” Klitschko’s manager Bernd Boente said. “Of course, Vitali has been affected emotionally, but a fight is not up for discussion and we will not offer Chisora a further platform.”

Boente pointed to Chisora’s hearing before the British Boxing Board of Control in London on March 14 – when he could face a life ban – as well as Klitschko’s shoulder injury.

Both Chisora and Haye issued apologies for the fracas, but the fallout is likely to last some time.

Chisora was detained and questioned by Munich police on Sunday before being released while Haye flew back to Britain before police could speak to him.

Klitschko said Chisora has tarnished boxing. "I saw it all from the stage, I thought I was in some kind of film," he said.

"Sooner or later in life a man gets his just punishment. You can't behave like that as an athlete or as a normal person."