WBO #1 heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) passed his first real heavyweight test with a hard fought twelve round unanimous decision over Derek Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) on Saturday night at the SSE Arena, outside London, England. Chisora came out aggressively, but Usyk soon adjusted and took control. Chisora was game the whole way and gave a good account of himself. Scores were 117-112, 115-113, 115-113.
Usyk remains the WBO mandatory challenger to Anthony Joshua, who watched from ringside, and who he intends to fight in 2021.
“I was very happy to be back in the ring,” Usyk told Matchroom afterwards. “I haven’t fought for more than a year. It was a huge pleasure for me. You saw my smile when I went into the ring. I really want to thank god for this victory. Derek has big power, he has strong punches but I was prepared for it.
“I didn’t think about his boxing IQ. All I was thinking about was the boxing and what I wanted to do. I am very thankful for Derek giving me this opportunity. I am very thankful to this family and his team. I am happy. He is a good man. Anthony (Joshua), how are you? I am coming for you.”
Usyk told Sky Sports: “Chisora a big guy, a hard guy. I was expecting a fight like that, I was expecting a tougher fight. My plan is to go to my home, maximum time with my family. Training and improving myself. Not just world champion, the undisputed world champion [is my aim].”
A disappointed Chisora reacted to defeat: “I feel great. I was pushing the pace. I’m just disappointed with the result, gutted. To everybody who can’t make it [to the fight], I’m gutted for everybody. In the heavyweight game, you have to fight not box. I gave a couple of rounds away.”
Not sure it was as close as 115-113 but right man won
Yeah, I can’t believe two judges had it 115-113. No way one round goes the other way and that’s a draw. I had it 9 to 3 for Usyk. Credit Chisora, he fought bravely, but he was second best the last 8 rounds,
I think this was expected the way it played out. I love both guys. Chisora landed some solid shots and missed some even bigger ones. As for Usyk, I think he is fine in the heavyweight division. Vitali klitschko couldnt stop Chisora either. Chisora has a beard! The only one ive seen throttle chisora proper was Haye and Haye had NASTY power and speed!
Vitali’s power was overrated. A lot of guys he stopped on their feet. He landed 100s of power punches on a overweight 39 year old Briggs and couldn’t floor him while Lennox Lewis knocked out the 27 year old in shape Briggs.
Chisora is past his prime and fat. Usyk beating him pretty much proves nothing.
Your opinion is dumb. Stop watching boxing.
I agree with Lamont Norwood and its obvious Chisora is older now and he is nothing like th fighter he used to be. Beating Chisora is something a competent top HW should be able to do.
I think it proves Usyk is now a player in the division. Not sure Wilder will ever regain a title or not, but if I were Usyk, that’s who I’d target. Wilder himself is a small heavyweight; Fury and Joshua are just a little too big.
Not sure he should target Wilder. Wilder’s length and speed would be a problem. If Usyk gets hit by Wilder early like he was getting hit by Chisora it’s lights out. Maybe a Charles Martin or Dominic Breazeale would be better options.
But Wilder has nothing in terms of a title, and if Usyk wants to be a world champion he’s going to have to fight one.
The ref and Briggs’ corner should have been arrested after that fight with Vitali for not stopping it. He wouldn’t go down but he suffered brain damage. His whole personality changed after that fight. Out of his 45 wins Vitali had 51 KO’s. It should really be 42 as Briggs was a TKO that wasn’t called. They wouldn’t have let that fight continue after the Abdusalamov tragedy.
” Out of his 45 wins Vitali had 51 KO’s. ”
Correction: 41 KO’s
Usyk beat a man who outweighed him by almost fifty pounds of solid muscle!
I was afraid that the judges would deliver their usual crooked decision, especially after seeing what they did in that lightweight prelim.
Right on. These bandwagoners can be ridiculous at times.
Fury beat Chisora up pretty bad in the second fight. As for Vitali, I think that he was not the same boxer he had been a few years earlier, I think in 2011 his brother would have actually beaten him, and I would have given even Fury at the time to be able to pull of an upset, as he even seemed to have an easier time with Chisora the first time than did Vitali. Still, can’t fault Chisora, he is a warrior, gave Whytes fits.
As a Brit watching this fight and the Selby fight, the scoring by some judges. Selby was beaten easily, and all the pundits agreed. Chisora put up a good effort, but it wasn’t close
Fair decision.
Chisora started well, but Usyk adjusted well, still Del kept it competetive.
Both dug deep, Usyk had a real challenge and adjusted/gave a good account of himself. Chisora, again showed he’s a solid gate keeper, no shame in being a perennial contender when you consistently fight the way he has.
Skillful perfomance. Makes me wonder about usyk though. Weird entity. You really want someone big enough and fast enough to show him what the HW division is about. I really like him, but at HW, it feels like there is something missing outside pure technique.
Thus it is in the modern heavyweight division. Until there is a catch weight at 220 (or similar), you’re going to have these Usyk type guys (see Haye and Adamek) who can outclass good heavyweights but always be a question mark against great big men. I’d take Usyk over much of anyone… but Fury or Joshua? I don’t see him beating those type of talented super heavies.
I’ve been bitching for years about the lack of a super-heavyweight division. Someone weighing say 201 is now in the same weight class as the giants. Usyk tonight was outweighed almost 50 pounds. Meanwhile the lighter weight classes are separated by a ridiculous 2 or 3 pounds and even light heavyweight only 7 pounds, 168-175.
Need less divisions not more. There have always been big heavyweights and smaller ones often beat them.
Then let that apply to the little guys too, everybody. If a man 200 is good to go in with a man weighing 25% more, 250, then a 125 pound man can go in with someone weighing 156. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!
The more divisions they create the worse for the boxers, especially the small guys as people don’t even know who they are. So I agree with you.
Need a Super-heavyweight division. Agree. Something like 220 and above in this division.
Agreed. He has good foot work, but his hand speed is lacking. Combine that with the lack of power and you have a top 20 HW bottom of the 10 at the very best.
Usyck fought Chaszz Witherspoon and Chisora. Two guys pushing 40 and he didn’t look that good against either. What’s gonna happen when his opponent doesn’t gas out after 4 rounds? They better keep moving him extra slow!!!
NJ, you make a valid point regardless of the thumbs down some folks are giving you. Usyk knows he is in a “big boys” division now and some men are going to be capable of walking him down and even taking his arsenal of punches with minimal resistance. Usyk needs a few more tune-ups before he sniffs around Fury or even a Wilder. Not quit sure he’s ready for AJ just yet. My 2 cents…
No, Scooby, he is not ready. At soon Usyk steps in the ring with a fresh, top 10 heavyweight, its over. Dubois annihilate him with easy, just to mention someone.
Dubois, even as relatively inexperienced as he is, is even taller, younger than Chisora. Will actually be an unfair fight.
Exactly! And I knew a bunch of the delusional Usyck fans would be touched. I appreciate Usyck and his great boxing skills and conditioning. But he’s not going to hang with the big boys at the higher level. He’s no Holifield by far! Wilder annihilates him. Thanks for responding Scooby.
Please stop with the Holyfield shit he hang on because he was full of stéroids…
Yeah suspicious of Holyfield too.
In the early-mid 90s, the speed Holyfield went from having a full head of hair to bald was super quick.
And the heart condition/defect he had in the first Moorer fight, when he lost, seemed to miraculously dissappear too.
Something not right there.
That is slander and how do you know that those eastern bloc fighters aren’t full of steroids? Povetkin has been caught multiple times
If Usyk can find Holyfields Doctor, my money is on him….LOL
If Usyk can find Holyfields Doctor, my money is on him….LOL.
What is it with you guys and Usyk?
Instead of giving thumbs down tell me why you think he is all that (I know boxing very will 40yrs of knowledge, tell me what makes Usyk the next coming?
I don’t see it
Yep, Usyk in a 220 weight division would be good, not the giant heavyweights. Just look at that pic of AJ and Usyk together. Usyk looks so small.
Did you recommend the ‘dark trade’ book? Reading it now. Fucking amazing.
Great book mate, read it a few years back
Hope it makes it on the NY best seller’s list. Actually, I am reading the book called “Telling Like It Is Based off Observations”. Really a truthful nonfictional piece that tells no lies. LOL
Chisora didn’t gas out after 4 rounds. He didn’t gas out at all, and that surprised everybody. He got himself in top shape. I think it was his best fight ever.
117-111 for Usyk. Hes finding his feet at heavweight slowly. I think he will be around 16 stone in a fight or two.
Chisora was in the best shape of his life and did one of his best fights, but Usyk put him in his place and Chisora was almost knocked out. Usyk is a hell of a fighter, but size will be a problem against the likes of Fury and AJ.
Chisora is old and fat. He is way past his prime and he was never that good at his best. Usyk was supposed to beat the shopworn, old guy.
Chisora was in the best shape of his life for this fight. I think it was his best fight ever. Everybody expected him to get tired after those first two rounds but he didn’t. He was almost KO’d at the end of rd. 7 but he came right back. He surprised me too.
Usyk is not going to be Mike Tyson in the division by any means. He definitely will do fine in the division but if someone is looking for nasty KOs and doesn’t like to see an awkward tactician for likely 12 rounds; he will not be the choice.
Both looked good, but Usyk showed he could take a good punch from a heavyweight. He has really good technical skills and can wear down his opponent. I see him beating opponents like Andy Ruiz easily, but I don’t see him pulling off an upset against an AJ, or Tyson Fury. Maybe against Wilder but that’s a big maybe. Gotta give Usyk props for moving up to a division against a couple of giants.
He’s not beating an in shape Ruiz. If Chisora was able to put paws on him early, what would Ruiz do with his superior hand speed? I’d like his chances against Joseph Parker better but I’d probably still take Parker in that fight.
No surprise here.
Step it up Usyk
Usyk moved up after dominating the CW division. There has been a lot of hype, but he while he was a great CW he looks like an average HW. Chisora should have been a statement fight, but it shows he can be taken the distance by average boxers so when he steps up to the top tier its hard to picture him being dominant. If nothing else he will do well and provide interesting matches an a good opponent to the champions.
The trouble is he was outweighed by almost 50 pounds tonight – like he was several weight classes removed. Heavyweight div. needs to be broken into several sections, at least one, superheavy.
Not really-most bigger heavyweights are slow.
Yep, the big hw’s on average are just getting ridiculously big now.
Good win for Usyk, but it appears he will remain at idle until the dust clears with the bigger heavyweights. Meanwhile, Usyk should keep working in the gym and see what happens by middle 2021.
The result doesn’t surprise me. I have never been impressed with Chisora and knew he didn’t have the skills or conditioning to win this fight. Good win for Usyk who is technically the superior fighter. Chisora is good for hype, which is irrelevant to me.
I was afraid that the judges would deliver their usual crooked decision, especially after seeing what they did in that lightweight prelim.
He’s a great fighter but he clearly does not have the size or power to bang with any of the top heavies Fury Wilder Joshua Wladimir if he comes back destroy him
Well the fight went as we all expected. A sparring match. Usyk is very talented and bla bla bla.. But he has absolutely NO power or snap in his punches. It’slikewatchingMayweather… Fury or Joshua would steamroll him..
Usyk was a 116-112 winner on my scorecard. Chisora reminded me of Earnie Shavers condition wise being all but exhausted after 5 rounds. Usyk isn’t beating Fury, Joshua or Wilder.
Good tough win for Usyk, he stepped up against a very experienced tough heavyweight.
I can Usyk beating Wilder now easily, but should stay away from AJ and Fury.
This was a predictable fight.
Usyk clearly one after making adjustments but Chisora, despite his limitations was able to pressure him. Usyk will be severely challenged by a heavyweight longer and quicker than Chisora.
Usyk did emerge from a very competitive cruiser division and fought some monsters there and that is part of his lure. He’s handsome, fit, and super technical and many want to see what he can do at heavy after unifying down below (as they watched Holyfield). Remeber Haye vs. Valuev? Maybe we can get that magic again and it doesn’t make those that are into that sort of thing ‘nut-swingers’ or any of that non-sense. I just think he has to go for it all the way, and right now because at 33, he needs all that youth more than he will ever need more experience or maturity. The dude is full-blown and ready for the main-event.