Derek Chisora stunned Otto Wallin with two knockdowns on his way to a unanimous-decision victory on Saturday in his last fight in the UK.
Chisora 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.
The 41-year-old is now in line 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, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
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“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 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.”
How Chisora stunned Wallin
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 in Manchester.
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 knockdown in the final round before the bell went.
Daniel Dubois v Joseph Parker and the Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol rematch will be live on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!
