American boxer Deontay Wilder defeated Briton Derek Chisora after 12 rounds in the heavyweight division.
The 50th fight in the careers of 42-year-old Chisora (36-14, 23 KOs) and 40-year-old former champion Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) took place at the O2 Arena in London.
How was the battle?
- An unusual incident occurred in the first round that could have resulted in Chisora being disqualified. A member of his team ran into the ring after the boxers engaged in a “wrestling fight.”
- Wilder dominated Chisora in the first three rounds, particularly cornering the British boxer in the third. Although Chisora regained the upper hand in the next two rounds, the first half of the fight ended in Deontay's favor.
- Starting in the eighth round, Wilder knocked down Chisora twice. First, in the eighth round after throwing a right hook.
- Chisora fell after a blow from Wilder in the 11th round, but this time he was able to get to his feet.
- In the end, the fight went the full 12 rounds, and the winner was determined by the judges' scores. Despite two knockdowns by Chisora, Wilder won by split decision: 115:111, 112:115, 115:113.
“I had a great opponent,” Wilder was quoted as saying by Sports Yahoo. “I knew Derek would give it his all, I saw his temple start to swell in the ring. I told him, 'You have to live for your kids,' I took care of him. I want him to live for them, I have seven kids of my own.”
Wilder and Chisora had not faced each other in the ring before this fight. The American's last fight was in June 2025 against Tyrell Herndon, which ended with Wilder winning by technical knockout in the seventh round. Chisora, on the other hand, last entered the ring in February 2025, when he defeated Otto Wallin by unanimous decision.
Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk announced his desire to fight Wilder at the end of 2025. At that time, the Ukrainian's team was discussing the possibility of holding a fight with Wilder in the spring.