Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE-BORN British heavyweight boxer Derek Chisora stunned Otto Wallin with two knock-downs on his way to a unanimous-decision victory on Saturday night in his last fight in the United Kingdom.
Chisora was on top from the first bell and twice knocked Wallin down at a packed Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
The Mbare-born pugilist is set to retire after his next fight, the 50th of his career, and delivered a remarkable performance, despite having a cut eye for half of the fight, with the three judges scoring the bout 117-109, 114-112, and 116-110 to the British fighter.
“I thought he was going to gas out, but he didn’t, and I was wrong,” Chisora said. “It was a fire-fight.”
“Legacy isn’t made by me — it is made by the fans,” Chisora added.
The 41-year-old is now in line for a world title shot after his fight with Wallin was upgraded earlier this month to an eliminator for the IBF heavyweight title, which is held by Daniel Dubois, who takes on Joseph Parker on February 22.
Former four-weight world champion Roberto Duran, WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball, who faces TJ Doheny on March 15, Joe Joyce, and Dillian Whyte were among those in attendance for Chisora’s UK send-off.
The 41-year-old was joined in the ring by UK rappers Skepta, Tinie Tempah, and Chipmunk after his victory was announced as he asked fans to vote on who his opponent should be for his 50th fight.
Chisora intends to retire after that fight, which he wants to take place overseas.
“When I arrived, I said to myself I won’t cry, but I started crying like a baby (before the fight),” said Chisora after the fight.
“I was in tears because I love the sport and love the fans. I love everything about it, the ups and downs.
“It was a very emotional day for me today. It was very hard. When I got the cut, then something happened in the third round, which I didn’t tell my trainers; my ears popped, and I said, I’m going to carry on.”
After the fight, Chisora’s camp brought three photos into the ring of heavyweight champions Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, plus Anthony Joshua.
He asked the crowd to choose who he fought next, with the Manchester spectators appearing to cheer loudest when Usyk’s and Joshua’s photos were held up.
Chisora has previously said he wants to fight Dillian Whyte or Francis Ngannou in his 50th fight, before retirement, with the bout to take place outside of the UK.
“Whatever he wants, we will make it happen. We will sit down and make it happen,” said his promoter, Frank Warren.
“He’s now won an eliminator for the IBF title, and that’s Daniel Dubois’, so he has that in the bank.
“Whatever he wants to do, we will do. Tonight, what a performance. I can’t tell you how proud I am of how he fought in there, Otto as well, because it takes two to make a fight.”
Chisora produced one of his best wins of the 36 in his 18-year career to the delight of the crowd at the Co-op Live Arena.
He came flying out of the blocks with big swinging shots to Wallin’s body in the opening rounds and landed a couple of big right hands to the head in the third.
However, an apparent clash of heads in the fifth round saw Chisora cut his right eye. In the sixth, blood was continually dripping off the eye, so the referee was forced to momentarily halt the bout.
After being checked by the doctors, Chisora did not let up the intensity and unleashed several shots on Wallin in the seventh, before an incredible attack in the eighth with around 30 consecutive swings rocked his opponent.
He glanced Wallin with a right hand in the ninth to send the Swede tumbling, then tactically drew him into the corner over the rest of the bout to land more blows to the body, including another knock-down in the final round before the bell went.
Chisora spoke in the build-up to his UK send-off about it being an emotional week, and those feelings got the better of him when he entered the venue earlier in the night, with the TNT broadcast showing him in tears.
By the time he made his walk to the ring wearing a cowboy hat, Chisora had steadied himself mentally, and he was warmly welcomed into the arena as fans sang along to Hotel California.
“Del Boy” set the tempo from the outset, fighting on the front foot and not allowing Wallin space to get behind his jab.
Short bursts to the body and head were enough to carry Chisora through the early stages, and a looping right had Wallin backtracking in round three.
Chisora was cut above his right eye in round five but passed a check with the doctor in the sixth as he continued to enjoy the better of the close exchanges.
A looping right sent Wallin tumbling across the ring and down in the ninth, but he was back, ready to go, by the count of eight.
Upon hearing the 10-second clapper in the final round, Chisora threw everything at Wallin and put down his rival, who was saved by the bell.
Chisora has faced some of the biggest names in the sport during his 18-year career, meeting Tyson Fury on three occasions, Whyte and Parker twice, and has also come up short against Vitali Klitschko and Oleksandr Usyk.
It is Chisora’s third win in succession after victories over Gerald Washington and Joe Joyce.
Chisora is the third man to beat Wallin, following losses against Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Just seven of Chisora’s 49 professional bouts have taken place outside of the UK, and this was his fourth contest in Manchester.
His three previous fights in Manchester — two against Parker and one with Whyte — ended in defeat.
Chisora was clear that he wanted one more fight after facing Wallin, and the news that this bout had been upgraded to an IBF eliminator put even more on the line for the veteran.
He first fought for a world title in 2012 when he lost against WBC heavyweight champion Klitschko, and he also came up short against Fury in 2022 with the WBC belt on the line.
A third shot at gold could be on the horizon for Chisora after he rolled back the years to dispatch Wallin. — Agencies/Sports Reporter.
