Deontay Wilder has defeated Derek Chisora by split-decision tonight at a sold-out O2 Arena in London.
The judges scored the scrappy heavyweight bout: 115-112 for Chisora, and 115-111 and 115-113 for Wilder.
Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) claimed his first back-to-back victories since he defeated Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz in 2019. Chisora (36-14, 23 KOs) breaks a three-fight winning streak and will also lose his second position in the IBF rankings for Oleksandr Usyk’s world title.
There was a scrappy opening to the first round with both men heavily leaning on each other. Chisora took the front foot and the center of the ring, with Wilder working off the back foot as he stretched his left arm out to keep the Englishman at bay. As the round came to an end, Wilder pushed Chisora against the ropes. The two men slugged it out with Chisora’s back bent over the rope, which forced referee to force a time out.
A body shot from Chisora began round two, but Wilder returned a good uppercut. The American took the lead, clubbing Chisora with lefts and rights. However, Chisora continued to push forward. But it was Wilder’s round, catching Chisora with a right hand off the back-foot before the bell.
It was clear the referee was going to have his hands full in this heavyweight tie, having to have another word with the pair to start round three. Both were missing many of their power shots over the top, but they both have success on the inside to the body in a relatively even round. However, there was a moment of discomfort for Chisora at the end of the three minutes with him staying in the corner with a eye problem. Wilder went for the finish regardless, but the referee stopped the action.
Both men were glued to each other’s chests at the start of round four, although Wilder was digging some good body shots against a crouching Chisora. Wilder found himself on the canvas, but it was decided as a push. The pair caught each other with right hands to close the period, but Chisora also anchored in a big overhand right, which Wilder took well as they slugged it out until the bell.
Chisora found himself on the canvas in the fifth round, but it was again called a push. Wilder struggled to avoid more overhand rights to the head on two occasions, but again, the American took the shots well. Chisora was on his back again in the final minute of the round, but it was the result of another push.
Wilder had a good start to round six, landing a good right uppercut. Chisora continued to come forward looking for the knockout regardless but was turned by Wilder in the attack to land a heavy combination on the head. A cut had opened above Chisora’s left eye toward the end of the round as Wilder closed the session with a big right to the head.
DAZN commentator and analyst Carl Frampton had it 57-57 even at the halfway point of the fight.
Wilder landed another uppercut against the incoming Chisora to start round seven. The pace dipped slightly, however Wilder would land another good right to the head at the halfway stage of the frame. Chisora walked into another uppercut as Wilder appeared to be enjoying himself. Both men hit the deck in a tussle to close the round.
The referee had another word with both men to start round eight. However, it wouldn’t change too much. Chisora landed a big right hand one minute into the round, but Wilder returned a counter right to force the Englishman on the back-foot. Wilder applied serious pressure, forcing Chisora to the canvas, but he would make it up on the count of eight. To add more drama, Wilder was deducted a point and Chisora pushed back to end the round strong in the attack.
Wilder landed a right hand to start the ninth, but Chisora returned his own moments later. The tempo slowed for much of the round as Chisora’s punches were becoming increasingly more telegraphed.
Round ten started with Wilder landing a left hook to the body followed by the same shot to the head. Chisora was now in retreat with Wilder composing himself ahead of his power shots. However, Chisora finished the round with a looping right to the head.
The eleventh round saw little action as both men struggled to find the target after a grueling ten rounds. However, the end of the round sprung to life with Chisora falling through ropes, resulting in a count. Wilder was also counted as the round ended but was unlucky to have it not called another push.
Chisora walked onto a right hand in the twelfth and final round, but he took it well and kept pushing for the equalizer. A defining shot for either man never came in a bout that the promotional team promised a knockout. Wilder was the much happier man as the final bell rang.