Deontay Wilder secures victory over Derek Chisora in a thrilling split decision.
LONDON — Deontay Wilder triumphed over Derek Chisora in a rough yet captivating heavyweight clash on Saturday, re-establishing his position in the discussion for world title bouts.
Wilder (45-4-1, 43 KOs) achieved two knockdowns but had a point deducted during a tumultuous and charged evening in London.
Two judges scored the match 115-111 and 115-113 in favor of Wilder, while one judge had it 115-112 for Chisora, resulting in Wilder winning by split decision.
Chisora (36-14, 23 KOs) went through the ropes on two occasions as both fighters spent a significant portion of the match leaning against one another. Chisora executed his plan to start aggressively, while Wilder aimed to maintain distance with his superior reach.
The American consistently posed a threat with his powerful right hand, but Chisora persisted and landed more effective punches early on.
He pressured his opponent, closing the gap and successfully targeting both the head and body in the initial rounds, but was unable to inflict damage on Wilder.
The Brit seemed to fatigue in the later rounds, allowing Wilder to land more punches as the fight progressed. Chisora did manage a knockdown in Round 11, but it was insufficient as Wilder dominated the final round to clinch the win.
Chisora, 42, has fought for a world title twice, in 2012 and 2022, and has become a notable figure in British boxing.
He displayed visible emotion as he entered the arena and during what he claimed would be his 50th and final ring appearance.
The Brit, competing at The O2 for the 11th time in his career, opted to travel to the venue via the London Underground—taking the tube instead of a private vehicle—and chose to enter through the main doors, passing a crowd of fans while accompanied by his family and pushing his young son, Zion, in a stroller.
In the co-main event, Viddal Riley defeated Mateusz Masternak to capture the EBU European cruiserweight title, positioning himself for a potential world title opportunity next.
Riley won by unanimous decision with scores of 118-110, 118-110, and 119-109. This bout also served as an IBF eliminator for the vacant world title.
Riley (14-0, 7 KOs) performed effectively, causing considerable damage to Masternak (50-7, 33 KOs), utilizing his jab and following up with his right hand, landing multiple punishing shots as he gradually wore down his Polish opponent throughout the contest.
