Chisora vs Wilder Fight Summary:
- Winner: American Deontay Wilder defeated Derek Chisora of London via a 12-round split decision at London’s O2 Arena.
- Key Stats: Wilder secured the victory with scores of 115-113 and 115-111, aided by crucial knockdowns in rounds 8 and 11.
- Post-Fight: Chisora, who earned one 115-112 scorecard, confirmed his retirement after a grueling and entertaining 50th combined ring appearance for the veteran duo.
Forty-two-year-old Derek Chisora and 40-year-old Deontay Wilder heard the final bell in their 50th fight together Saturday, leaving the ring at the O2 Arena in London as best of friends again after 12 wildly entertaining rounds. But only one left as the winner.
It was a revived Bronze Bomber, with Wilder taking the split decision victory over Chisora by scores of 115-113, 115-111, and 115-112 for Chisora.
Wilder of Tuscaloosa, Alabama (45-4-1, 43 KOs) showed flashes of the explosive punching power of his peak years, but the victory was about Wilder seeing his way through several dark years and getting his mind and spirit right to perform against his friend Chisora.
Chisora of Finchley, London (36-14, 23 KOs) gave Wilder everything he could muster, walking him down and landing heavy shots on Wilder. But the wear and tear over the years left him just short of the toolkit he needed to prevail.
It wasn’t the Sweet Science. It was the rawness of the effort by both men no matter how sloppy or messy it got, as both veterans gave everything they had for personal pride and for whatever they had to give boxing.
It turned out to be more than enough, with two knockdowns by Wilder in rounds eight and eleven to put a stamp on the performance.
Deontay Wilder: “Magnificent Fight”
“You know Derek, he’s a warrior. He came like a lion to fight,” said Wilder. “But like I said before, I don’t play boxing. I come to end it.
“Many people doubted me. They counted me out. They threw dirt on my name, but you can’t throw dirt on somebody that’s chosen. London, y’all all are witness tonight what power, what destiny, what glory is all about.
“What a magnificent fight it was! And I give all the glory and the thanks to God, and thank Derek as well. Bro, we got to go fishing. You coming down to Alabama, baby,” Wilder told Chisora.
“Some of those rounds were very close,” said Chisora, complaining about the second knockdown call by referee Mark Bates.
Nevertheless, Chisora made it a fight, and every fan in the O2 Arena got more than they came for on Saturday.
Chisora and Wilder Hear The Final Bell
Chisora has always been a pressure fighter, willing to put up his tough chin and punching power to bulldoze through his opponent and crowding them to prevent being hit with a fully extended punch. This wasn’t going to change in his 50th ring appearance. Chisora had Wilder backing up for the lion’s share of the fight.
Wilder and trainer Don House were prepared for it, and it was a matter of Wilder being able to pull the trigger when he found the right range, something he had been unable to do in recent fights. Fortunately for everyone, Wilder looked more like the fearsome knockout puncher he once was, at least around the edges.
Wilder started coming to life in the second round and landed his first significant punch in the third round, a left hook following a hard right that wobbles Chisora.
Chisora, who came into the fight 40 pounds heavier than Wilder, was happy to roughhouse and wrestle with Wilder in the middle rounds to wear him down and keep him from extending his punches.
In the sixth round, Wilder unleashed an effective uppercut, and he followed with several good power shots. He opened a cut over Chisora’s left eye. Expert cutman Russ Anbar kept it from being a serious factor, but it bothered Chisora and gave Wilder a target.
After the two took a breather in round seven, they put together the best round of the evening. Chisora nailed Wilder, but he stood too long admiring his work, and Wilder cracked him, forcing Chisora to back up in retreat instead of capitalizing. Wilder looked at Chisora, said “I love you,” and wound up, landing a right hook for a knockdown.
Referee Mark Bates gave Chisora plenty of leeway in the ring after he beat the count. Wilder came at Chisora and knocked him through the ropes. Referee Bates took a point from Wilder for pushing. The crowd went wild.
Watching ringside, former world champion Anthony Joshua said, “This isn’t about technique, it’s about who wants it more.” He was proven right.
Through the next two rounds, the two men circled as both knew they didn’t have an unlimited amount of energy left. Both believed they had the chance to end things, and in the 11th round, Wilder scored a second knockdown, again forcing Chisora through the ropes. Bates called it as the ropes held up Chisora – but the replay was unclear whether a Wilder punch landed.
In the final three minutes, both men wrestled and threw leather, but it only seemed right they both heard the final bell.
Wilder Claims He Went Easy On His Friend Chisora
In his post-fight remarks, Wilder indicated that Chisora went the distance due to his intervention.
“I was telling him in the ring as I started seeing his eyes swell and his temple started to buckle a little bit. I said, ‘Bro, you got to live for your kids. I don’t want to hurt you too much longer.’
“So, I started having fun in there, because I saw my brother starting to get hurt. I saw weakness in his eyes a little bit. And that’s what boxing all about,” said Wilder, who said too many lives have been lost in the sport.
“When it’s over for us, nobody give a damn about us. No matter what they say. Nobody give a fuck about us. So, us fighters have to look after each other. And tonight I looked after Derek.
“Tonight, I didn’t want to go too hard upon him … I want him to live for his kids. It’s time for us to take care of each other.”
Chisora briefly hinted he “would go home and talk to the boss lady” with his wife and daughter standing in the ring. But he clarified it was his last appearance.
“I came here when I was 16. I was born in Zimbabwe. I came here to visit my mother. I got into trouble. I saw boxing. I didn’t know I was going to be addicted to boxing, and I kept on going.”
“This is my brother. I love him so much,” said Wilder. “This is going to make us probably best friends. I really want him to come to Alabama. I told him to bring his entire family and his wife, and we’re going to have a great time.”
Who Is Next For Deontay Wilder?
After Wilder and Chisora have their visit and go fishing, Wilder said he intends to work his way toward a title fight. It won’t be a surprise to anyone if a fight gets made between Anthony Joshua and Wilder. But Oleksandr Usyk has indicated his interest in facing Wilder for several years now, before he retires.
Undercard Results: Solid Win for Vidal Riley
In the co-main event, popular cruiserweight Vidal Riley of Tottenham (14-0, 7 KOs) put slick boxing skills on display in his win over Polish veteran Mateusz Masternak (50-7, 33 KOs) to win the European cruiserweight. Scores were 119-111, 118-110, 118-110.
“Feels good! English champion, British champion. European champion sounds good.” It says that I’m world-class. It was a tough fight, I expected a tough fight,” said Riley. “I’m just ready for the next challenge.” It was a mature performance, with enough action to keep the fans entertained.
At age 38, Masternak didn’t have the firepower to threaten Riley. Nevertheless, Masternak forced Riley to put in the work for the win, bloodying Riley’s nose in the later rounds. This experience will pay off for Riley as he takes on tougher opponents in a thriving cruiserweight division.
Denzel Bentley Scores Sensational TKO for Title
London-based middleweight Denzel Bentley (22-3-1, 18 KOs) delivered the biggest victory of his career with an impressive seventh-round TKO over Endry Saavedra, a Venezuelan fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico (17-2-1, 14 KOs).
Bentley staked his claim to the win when he rocked Saavedra at the end of the fourth round with a solid right hook. Bentley gained steam in the sixth, setting up a massive uppercut as Saavedra came forward with his own offense, and this was the game-changer. Bentley poured it on, snapping Saavedra’s head back. When he couldn’t answer, the fight was stopped.
Bentley wins the WBO Interim Middleweight title. The current WBO champion, Janibek Alimkhanuly, is serving a suspension for a positive PED result. However, the WBO inexplicably refused to strip the Qazaq of the belt.
It’s worth noting that there was no drug testing when Bentley faced Alimkhanuly in November 2022 in Las Vegas, going the distance in a decision loss, and the last fighter to go the distance with Alimkhanuly. Tee up the rematch.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.