Derek Chisora was defeated by Deontay Wilder in a wild heavyweight bout at London’s O2 Arena in what is expected to be his last professional fight.
Chisora, 42, was knocked out in the eighth round and sent to the ropes. The Briton looked close to being stopped several times as Wilder charged towards the finish line, but the veteran somehow fought back.
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American player Wilder scored the fight 115-111 and 115-113, while a referee gave the fight 115-112 to Chisora.
After the game, Wilder said: “I have a lovely opponent. I know Derek will bring everything he has.
“In the ring I saw his temples starting to swell and I said ‘You have to live for your kids’. So many lives have been lost in this ring and no one cares about us. Our fighters have to look out for each other.
“Tonight, I’m taking care of him and I want him to live for his kids. It’s time for us to take care of each other. I have seven kids of my own and they are my best friends. Kids, I’m coming home.”
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The match almost inexplicably continued into the final stages, with both men being severely punished.
Chisora had his moments, particularly in the fifth round when the 40-year-old Wilder was stunning, but the former world champion ultimately deserved the decision.
It is worth noting that this is the 50th game of both men’s careers. Londoner Chisora, who has now lost 14 fights, had previously indicated this would be his last fight but was hesitant to confirm his retirement when his family joined him in the ring.
It’s not pretty, and it’s not particularly elite, but it’s undeniably fun. For Wilder, it represented one of his best wins in recent years and extended a career that may have been nearing its end.
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Take a beating in bizarre combat
This is only the second time in his career that Wilder has scored points [Getty Images]
Chisora rode a military tank to Thursday’s news conference and rode the London Underground into the battle at night, where he was greeted by a huge roar. The crowd in the 20,000-capacity arena, while not exactly full, was loud and partisan.
A bizarre first round saw the heavyweights tangled up on the ropes and continued to throw punches while ignoring the referee’s calls for a break. One member of Chisora’s team climbed into the ring before order could even be restored.
Chisora, fighting on the field for the 11th time, finished second in the early exchanges. “Go back to your boxing. Let the jab do its work,” his coach urged.
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The Zimbabwe-born heavyweight’s jab was largely non-existent, but in the fifth round he landed an overhand right – Chisora’s signature shot – that stunned Wilder. Suddenly Wilder looked vulnerable and Chisora pushed forward while two-time world champion Anthony Joshua urged his friend on the sidelines.
Wilder pushed Chisora down in the fifth and landed after the bell in the sixth, while both men fell to the canvas more than once.
Wilder then landed a right hand that knocked him out in the eighth, accounting for most of his 43 knockouts in his previous 44 wins. Chisora, partially off the ropes, beat the count at eight and Wilder’s eyes glazed over as he strode forward.
Wilder was penalized a point for pushing, and the pair eventually rematched in the eleventh, although neither incident was ruled a knockout.
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How Chisora survived and heard the final bell is amazing. Despite the absurdity of the entire fight, the self-proclaimed “brothers” eventually embraced each other without any hard feelings.
Showman, warrior, controversial figure – how will Chisora be remembered?
The boxing community hopes this will be the end of the road for Chisora.
If so, the two-time world title challenger will share the ring with the likes of Vitali Klitschko, David Haye, Tyson Fury and Alexander Usyk. He struggled at the top level but often commanded respect even in defeat.
Many thought he should have retired years ago. Yet Chisora repeatedly ignored those calls, extending his career and even finding late momentum with wins over fringe world-class contenders.
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Chisora was not the most talented heavyweight of his era but remained one of the most reliable ticket sellers in British boxing. With his departure, the sport loses a boxer who could draw crowds and fill arenas but never held a world title.
His longevity has been remarkable – spanning different eras from his 2007 debut to facing a new generation of opponents – but Chisora’s story has never been limited to the boxing ring.
Controversy has always followed him, from a 2010 conviction for assaulting his then-partner and a ban for biting an opponent to weighing in on flashpoints and his infamous row with Haye.
Ultimately, Chisora would leave the sport as a fighter, gatekeeper and performer, but also a deeply polarizing figure whose behavior off the field at times overshadowed his career.
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Are we seeing the old Wilder?
There was a time when Wilder almost single-handedly kept American heavyweight boxing visible on the global stage. But for those who have followed him in recent years, the signs of his decline have been clear.
He hasn’t looked the same since his trilogy with Fury – a brutal competition in which he was knocked down five times and stopped twice.
The match against Chisora was a brief reminder of the fighter who once terrorized the entire division. The signature right hand still carries a threat, but the explosiveness, timing and confidence that once made him so dangerous are less prevalent.
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Earlier this year, Usyk identified Wilder as a potential future opponent, and a win here at least keeps that possibility alive. There could also be crossover opportunities in modern boxing, perhaps against someone like Francis Ngannou.
Despite the victory, at this stage of his career, the margins were slim and “Father Time” had almost climbed to bronze bomber status.
