Chisora slaps Klitschko at weigh-in

Dereck Chisora lit the touchpaper ahead of Saturday's WBC heavyweight title challenge by slapping champion Vitali Klitschko at the weigh-in in Munich.

The eccentric Londoner is a rank outsider ahead of the weekend's bout and attempted to get under the long-reigning champion's skin.

After weighing in at 17 stone 3lbs - just a pound heavier than his lightest weight for a professional bout - Chisora butted heads before slapping Klitschko's face hard.

The two men were pulled apart, with a furious-looking Klitschko, who had weighed in three pounds heavier, left with a red mark on the left side of his face.

Chisora's camp said they were unaware of the stunt beforehand, and trainer Don Charles said: "It was unacceptable."

Asked whether it was pre-meditated, the trainer added: "I'm not Dereck Chisora. Like I said, it's unacceptable."

Promoter Francis Warren, representing his father Frank's company, said: "We're all scratching our heads about it, to be honest.

"You always expect something from Dereck - he's a character. But it's usually something that winds people up or is a bit jovial.

"So for him to get physical and aggressive, unprovoked, is surprising. But at the end of the day I'm sure there's method to his madness and we'll find out if the madness has paid off tomorrow night."

The 28-year-old Londoner challenges Klitschko in Germany despite two high-profile losses in his last three fights.