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LONDON. — Dillian Whyte brutally knocked out Zimbabwe-born Derek Chisora with a huge left hook to settle their heavyweight boxing grudge match at The O2 in London on Saturday night.
Their rematch had been as pulsating as the first fight two years ago, which Whyte had won by split decision, but their rivalry was conclusively ended in the 11th round.
Whyte whipped a counter left that sent Chisora’s careering backwards and ended a brutal fight in a flash.
Chisora was winning on two out of three judges’ scorecards, despite having two points deducted, at the time of the stoppage.
But Whyte’s vicious victory completed a stellar 2018 in which he has also beaten Lucas Browne and Joseph Parker. Next year his aim of challenging for a world heavyweight title appears closer, and may arrive on April 13 against his former opponent Anthony Joshua, who is still chasing Deontay Wilder.
The exhilarating fight that Whyte and Chisora staged in 2016 continued immediately into the 13th round of their rivalry — Chisora stormed out of his corner like a train but Whyte twice leathered him with right hands, wobbling his legs.
Before the first round of this second fight was out, Chisora was back in his rival’s face whipping his right hand but had to duck underneath a left hook swung from the hip.
After a second round in which Chisora pressured forward and Whyte tried to counter-punch, both men became tangled on the top rope. The referee scolded Chisora after the bell.
Powerful hooks continued to be unleashed by Chisora so Whyte, at times, had to cover up and absorb them. A wild brawl erupted in the third round as they stood chest to chest swinging punches at a remarkable pace.
Chisora’s work-rate and his body shots were impressive and, in the final moments of the fifth, he thumped Whyte to the head with a left hook.
The physique that Chisora had carved himself into, under the watchful eye of his former rival and new manager David Haye, was paying dividends when Whyte showed the first signs of fatigue.
Haye was stood at ringside next to Tony Bellew, until recently his bitter enemy, both roaring on Chisora.
Whyte seemed content to remain largely on the back foot, even when openings arose to march towards his opponent.
In the eighth Chisora’s pace slowed, and he had his first point deducted for a low blow. The back-and-forth nature of this rivalry continued as they slugged away but, in the 11th, a second point was removed from Chisora’s score as punishment for using his elbow.
Moments later they both threw punches simultaneously and Whyte landed more powerfully, ending the fight and his feud with Chisora.
Afterwards, Whyte called out Joshua, who stepped up to the ring and said Whyte was third on his list of targets.
Addressing Joshua, who beat him in 2015, Whyte said: “Rematch, let’s go. Let’s do this.”
IBF, WBO and WBA champion Joshua has made it clear he hopes to fight WBC title holder Wilder, with Tyson Fury a second target.
The 29-year-old moved from his commentary position, climbed to the ring ropes and asked fans at London’s O2 Arena if they would be interested in him fighting Whyte, prompting cheers.
“So if the Whyte fight gets made I don’t want to hear any boos,” said Joshua.
“We know how the list goes, who is one and two. If there’s anyone that deserves a shot, if it isn’t them it’s you.”
Whyte stormed from the ring as Joshua explained his place in the pecking order.
But promoter Eddie Hearn later said a bout between the pair was a case of “when, not if” as he expects Whyte to become a mandatory challenger. — Sky Sports
Online Reporter