Deontay Wilder edged Derek Chisora in a highly entertaining, albeit chaotic, brawl between two of boxing’s best heavyweights on Saturday night in London.
Things got off to a wild start as Chisora attempted to close the distance immediately by walking down the much taller Wilder. That resulted in Chisora eating some chopping right hands from his opponent. In the waning seconds of the opening round, Wilder pressed Chisora into the ropes, and the two nearly got into an all-out brawl, ignoring the referee’s instructions to break.
At one point, Chisora’s cornerman entered the ring to try and separate them himself — an action that could have resulted in Chisora’s disqualification. Fortunately, the fight was allowed to continue.
Wilder continued to control things in the second, landing a brilliantly timed uppercut followed by a nasty right. That put Chisora on his back foot, but a booming overhand right from Chisora caused an all-out war to break out between the two.
Things got a bit more competitive in the third, but Chisora appeared to be complaining about something with his eye. That appeared to impact his ability to fight for the next few minutes, but a massive overhand right from Chisora in the final 40 seconds of the fourth had Wilder on the ropes. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ looked legitimately hurt as Chisora uncorked another right, but it wasn’t enough to get an early finish.
Both fighters started to slow in the fifth as the pace had finally caught up with them. Chisora was bleeding profusely from his left eye, but that didn’t stop him from swinging away with power shots and punishing Wilder’s body. Late in the seventh, Chisora tumbled to the canvas and took Wilder with him. Luckily, nobody was injured, and the fight resumed without pause.
Chisora came out swinging in the eighth, but it was Wilder’s right hand that would finally score the first knockdown of the fight, nearly knocking Chisora out of the ring.
Chisora answered the count, but was quickly rocked by yet another right hand from Wilder. Chisora answered right back, connecting with a right hand followed by a left, and then a combination before the bell.
Chisora bounced back in rounds nine and 10, narrowing things on the scorecards, but still potentially leaving him a point or two behind Wilder.
Wilder landed some shots late in the 11th before hitting the mat in what was ruled a no-knockdown. A right hand from Chisora ultimately ended the penultimate frame, sending us to the 12th and final round.
In the 12th, Wilder ate an early uppercut as Chisora was moving backward. Still, Wilder continued to move forward, prompting Chisora to let his hands go and land a nice right. Wilder threw back in the final 30 seconds whilst taking lefts on the inside.
After 12 rounds of chaotic action, we go to the scorecards for what would be a very close decision in favor of ‘The Bronze Bomber.’
Official Result: Deontay Wilder def. Derek Chisora via split decision (115-111, 112-115, 115-113).
Check Out Highlights From Derek Chisora vs. Deontay Wilder: