In a thrilling, high-stakes heavyweight bout that could have spelled the end for either fighter’s career, Deontay Wilder emerged victorious with a split decision win over Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday. The former WBC champion, Wilder, whose record now stands at 45-4-1 with 43 KOs, had suffered defeats to Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, and Zhilei Zhang in recent years. However, he was riding a wave of momentum following a seventh-round stoppage of Tyrrell Herndon last June. Chisora, with a record of 36-14 and 23 KOs, had secured three consecutive wins since his loss to Fury in 2022.
The fight was a rollercoaster from the start. The opening round was marred by controversy as Chisora’s corner entered the ring prematurely, nearly leading to a disqualification. The second round saw Wilder unleash a barrage of heavy punches that staggered Chisora, although the British fighter managed to land a decent right hand. The referee appeared to show some leniency towards Chisora in the third round as Wilder continued his assault.
The scrappy nature of the fight persisted, with Chisora gaining the upper hand in the fourth round, only for Wilder to dominate the fifth. As the contest reached its midpoint, Chisora was holding his own against the relentless pressure from Wilder. The seventh round saw Wilder attempting to establish his jab, but his accuracy was off, and he struggled to corner Chisora.
The eighth round marked a turning point for Wilder. After absorbing a hard right from Chisora, he retaliated with a steady assault in the corner that sent Chisora to the canvas. Despite being badly hurt, Chisora bravely saw out the round, although Wilder was docked a point for pushing. Chisora rallied in the ninth round, backing up Wilder and landing some significant shots in the tenth. However, he was on the receiving end of a barrage in the penultimate round, forced through the ropes and clearly struggling as the fight entered its final frame.
Both fighters exchanged blows until the final bell, leaving the outcome in the hands of the judges. One judge scored the fight 115-112 in favor of Chisora, but was overruled by scores of 115-113 and 115-111 for Wilder, handing the American the victory.
In other action, Viddal Riley took a significant step towards world honors by becoming the new European cruiserweight champion with a wide points win against former world title challenger Mateusz Masternak. Riley, now 14-0 with 7 KOs, dominated throughout the fight, securing a unanimous decision with scores of 119-109 and two scores of 118-110.
Additionally, Denzel Bentley claimed the WBO interim middleweight title with a seventh-round stoppage win against Endry Saavedra. Bentley, with a record of 22-3-1 and 18 KOs, launched a two-fisted assault that sent Saavedra, now 17-2-1 with 14 KOs, into retreat and prompted the referee to wave off the contest.
The evening’s events underscored the unpredictable and dramatic nature of boxing, with Wilder’s victory serving as a reminder of his enduring power and resilience in the heavyweight division.
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