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Chisora Calls Out Wilder After Edging Out Pulev In Rematch

Written by Shaun Brown on 9th July 2022.

Chisora Pulev Result

Dereck Chisora went to the well once again, but this time had his hand raised in victory after gaining a split decision win against Kubrat Pulev in London on Saturday night.

Several thousand turned out at the O2 Arena to see their favourite heavyweight veteran throw down with the man who beat him in 2016. Chisora’s 33rd win gave him his first victory since stopping David Price inside the same venue three years ago.

In that time Oleksandr Usyk and Joseph Parker have proved too good for British boxing’s anti-hero but on this occasion, he faced a man at his own level who was there to be beat.

The early stages were an untidy affair with the fighting done up close in clinches with any part of the anatomy being targeted. Referee Marcus McDonnell warned the combatants on several occasions and while it wasn’t easy on the eye Chisora was getting the better of the inside action reddening the left side of Pulev.

The best moments from each man came from Chisora’s overhand right combined with hustle and bustle and Pulev’s combinations on the back foot or offence when his opponent looked jaded. The latter’s shots didn’t do the damage they maybe would have done years ago but they were making their mark.

Pulev was boxing the better of the two and provided the better fundamentals, but the crowd were often buoyed by Chisora’s industry. The 38-year-old chose to play possum in the corner too, just like he did in the Joseph Parker rematch, allowing Pulev to let his hands go. However, in a split second Chisora would spring into life and force the Bulgarian backwards.

The body attacks from Chisora continued throughout and were always a plan b to rely on if his work upstairs wasn’t going to plan. The noise from the fans got turned up to ten particularly in round 9 when Chisora rocked Pulev back with a right hand.

Pulev fired back with a one-two and an uppercut, a shot that he relied on as often as Chisora did with his overhand right. Defences had been breached as both stormed into one another with booming shots bouncing off the two sets of heavyweight whiskers. It was three minutes that brought Chisora back to life and gave him a third or maybe even a fourth wind.

Pulev was not a beaten man by any stretch and matched Chisora in each department. It was coming down to whoever wanted it more and crucially what the three judges favoured.

In the final three minutes Chisora chose to make it as rough and tough as he could for his Bulgarian guest. A left dug into the body before a right hook pinged the mid-section too. Another trademark overhand right soon joined in the fun but so did the opposition’s trusty uppercut. The two fighters could have carried on until one dropped but the final bell sounded with a roaring appreciation from those in attendance.

As one score of 116-112 apiece was read out there was a feeling of inevitability that Dereck ‘War’ Chisora would get the nod (116-114) and that he did. Once more into the trenches then for a fighter who will never turn down a (well paid) battle.

Watch the moment Chisora got the split decision victory courtesy of DAZN Boxing on twitter:

Speaking afterwards to DAZN Chisora said:

“It was hard. I’m happy today but at the same time I’m sad.”

“I don’t have many left but what I do have left I’m going to give my all. So, my next couple of fights I’m on my way out. I don’t want no easy fights. I want hard fights.”

“I told Eddie [Hearn] the other day if he can get me ‘The Bronze Bomber’ (Deontay Wilder) I’ll be happy. I want to fight everybody in my era. Win or lose, I just want to fight.”