British heavyweight Derek Chisora has placed his entire sparring team in quarantine ahead of his upcoming fight against Oleksandr Usyk.
The 36-year-old’s manager, David Haye, has revealed every precaution is being taken to prevent his fighter from contracting coronavirus.
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Chisora took precautions against coronavirus at his pre-fight press conference
Boxing has been relatively unaffected by the pandemic, while most sports have seen numerous events cancelled worldwide.
And ahead of his highly-anticipated bout against Ukranian Usyk at the O2 Arena on May 23, Chisora has even banned his sparring partners from socialising.
The Hayemaker said: “All the sparring partners are going to be quarantined in their flat, among themselves, they’re going to come to the gym and then back to their flat.
“They’re not allowed to go out partying. They’re here to work for Derek, to give Derek the best opportunity.
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Usyk also arrived at the press conference wearing a face mask
“They can’t be going out, getting sick and bringing that into the gym. It’s a serious situation – we don’t know how bad it’s going to get.
“We’re going to have as many as we can get – probably five or six different guys, trying to keep them fresh. Fast guys who move, cruiserweights, heavyweights, trying to mix it up.”
The fight is at risk of taking place behind closed doors, or being called off, if the government decides to ban large-scale events.
Haye admits Chisora and his team will take a huge financial hit if the fight is cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus.
Haye said: “You can’t insure it. I looked into it as soon as this kicked off but there is no insurance so it’s a calculated risk.
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Haye now manages former foe Dereck Chisora
“It costs a lot of money for a training camp but, as a professional, you have to do it.
“You could save the money and not train and wait until it’s 100 per cent certain.
“But it might be a week before the fight and then it’s great you’re fighting but you’re not in shape.”
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